Piston Beechcraft Accidents December 18 – December 31, 2025
Official information from FAA and NTSB sources (unless otherwise noted). Editorial comments (contained in parentheses), year-to-date summary and closing comments are those of the author. All information is preliminary and subject to change. Comments are meant solely to enhance flying safety. Please use these reports to help you more accurately evaluate the potential risks when you make your own decisions about how and when to fly.
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From unofficial sources
11/14 1645Z (1145 local Friday morning): As reported by the Aviation Safety Network, a Be95 landed gear up at Massey Ranch Airpark, Daytona Beach, Florida. The two aboard were not hurt despite “substantial” damage to the Travel Air. N2033N (TD-203) is a Model 95.
(“Gear up landing”, “Substantial damage”)
12/11 (time not reported): A Be33 landed on a road at Panama City, Panama. Two reported to be aboard the Debonair escaped serious injury and the airplane suffered what appears to be “substantial” damage. HP-33 is a B33 Debonair, serial number unknown.
(“Crash/unknown”; “Substantial damage”)
New Reports this Week
10/11 1750Z (1050 local Saturday morning): A Be35 landed gear up at Shelter Cove, California. Both persons aboard escaped injury and airplane damage is “minor.” N360B (D-4910) is a 1957 H35.
(“Gear up landing”—this is the first of multiple “catch up” from the U.S. Federal government shutdown this report).
10/11 1955Z (1555 local Saturday afternoon): The pilot of a Be35 “reported an open door and landed without incident. Post-flight inspection revealed [an] emergency window was missing.” No one was hurt and damage is “minor.” N610KG (D-5412) is a 1957 J35.
(“Exit window detached in flight”)
10/15 1914Z (1414 local Wednesday afternoon): A Be23 “porpoised during landing” at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Its “nose gear collapsed” and the Sundowner “veered off the runway.” The solo pilot wasn’t hurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N2130W (M-1505) is a 1974 C23.
(“Loss of directional control during landing”)
12/21 2219Z (1719 local Sunday evening): A Be35 landed gear up during a dusk arrival at Wauseon, Ohio. The solo pilot was unhurt; airplane damage is “unknown.” N806R (D-6083) is a 1959 K35.
(“Gear up landing”)
12/23 1647Z (0841 local Tuesday morning): The solo pilot of a Be35 died, the Bonanza incurring “unknown” damage, when the airplane “crashed under unknown circumstances” at Pole Butte, Oregon. N9540R (D-6103) was a 1959 K35.
(“Loss of control in flight/Attempted visual flight in IMC” [more momentarily]; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”; “IMC”—the Flight Safety Foundation’s Aviation Safety Network reports the airplane was “destroyed” and adds:
It appears the aircraft flew into weather activity and entered an out of control spiral. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating.
ASN adds that the airplane was “destroyed”).
NTSB Preliminary Reports
There are no newly posted piston Beech NTSB reports this week.
2025 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2025
Total reported: 142 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 79 reports
Operation in IMC: 7 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 58 reports
Operation at night: 7 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 6 reports
Fatal accidents: 18 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 28 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 28 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 125 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be35 Bonanza 42 reports
Be36 Bonanza 34 reports
Be55 Baron 19 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 13 reports
Be58 Baron 11 reports
Be95 Travel Air 6 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 64 reports
Operation in IMC: 7 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 52 reports
Operation at night: 6 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 6 reports
Fatal accidents: 18 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 22 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 28 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 24 reports
Engine failure 10 reports
Engine failure in flight/oil loss 2 reports (both Be36s)
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure shortly after takeoff/LOC 1 report (Be35)
Fuel starvation 1 report (Be55)
Partial power loss/off-airport landing 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure during visual approach 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure in flight/loss of control during descent 1 report (Be58)
Partial power loss shortly after takeoff/attempted return 1 report (Be33)
Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT) 4 reports
Controlled flight into terrain/mountains 3 reports (all Be35s)
Controlled Flight into Terrain/thunderstorms 1 report (Be58)
Loss of control in flight 4 reports
Loss of control in flight 1 report (Be58)
Loss of control departing in reported heavy precipitation 1 report (Be35)
Loss of control during visual descent 1 report (Be58)
Loss of control in flight/Attempted visual flight in IMC 1 report (Be35)
Impact during/immediately after takeoff 2 reports
Loss of control/IFR departure 1 report (Be36)
Loss of control in flight/door open after takeoff 1 report (Be55)
Impact during landing 1 report
Loss of directional control/visual landing 1 report (Be55)
Unknown 3 reports
Crash/unknown 1 reports (Be33)
Go-around/unknown 1 report (Be35s)
Takeoff/unknown 1 report (Be35)
OTHER EVENTS 99 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 46 reports
Gear up landing 20 reports (eight Be35s; Be33; five Be36s; two Be55s; Be58; three Be95s)
Gear collapse during landing 15 reports (Be33; two Be35s; two Be36s; three Be55s; two Be58s; Be95)
Gear up landing/mechanical failure 2 reports (Be36; Be95)
Gear up landing/electrical failure 2 reports (Be55; Be58)
Inadvertent gear retraction on the ground/touch and go 2 reports (both Be35s)
Nose wheel separation during landing 1 report (Be33)
Gear collapse during takeoff 1 report (Be55)
Gear collapse during landing/alternator failure 1 report (Be35)
Inadvertent gear retraction during landing 1 report (Be35)
Gear collapse during taxi from soft ground onto pavement 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure 25 reports
Engine failure in flight 11 reports (three Be33s; six Be35s; two Be36s)
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 5 reports (two Be33s; two Be36s; Be55)
Engine failure shortly after takeoff/catastrophic failure 1 report (Be36)
Partial power loss immediately after takeoff
Dual partial power loss/off-airport landing 1 report (Be58)
Dual engine failure immediately after takeoff/Fuel exhaustion 1 report (Be55)
Engine failure in flight/oil loss 1 report (Be36)
Propeller separation in flight 1 report (Be55)
Engine failure during landing 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure during approach/landing 1 report (Be35)
Engine fire during takeoff/abort/gear up landing 1 report (Be36)
Impact during landing 10 reports
Landed short 2 reports (both Be36s)
Landing/unknown 2 reports (Be35; Be36)
Runway overrun 1 report (Be58)
Loss of directional control during landing 1 report (Be95)
Propeller strike during landing 1 report (Be55)
Go-around/collision with obstruction 1 report (Be35)
Loss of directional control during the landing roll after open door in flight 1 report (Be33)
Loss of directional control during landing/tire separation 1 report (Be55)
Impact during takeoff 6 reports
Aborted takeoff/runway overrun 1 report (Be55)
Rejected takeoff/runway excursion 1 report (Be55)
Loss of directional control during takeoff 1 report (Be33)
Loss of directional control during takeoff/contaminated runway 1 report (Be35)
Collision with obstacles during takeoff 1 report (Be35)
Collision with obstacles/trees at the end of the runway 1 report (Be36)
Miscellaneous 13 reports
Exit window detached in flight 4 reports (two Be35s; Be36; Be58)
Taxi into aircraft/object 2 reports (both Be36s)
Bird strike 2 reports (Be35; Be55)
Door open after takeoff/descent into terrain 1 report (Be36)
Taxi into object/other aircraft 1 report (Be36)
Takeoff with tow bar attached 1 report (Be35)
Struck by taxiing aircraft while parked 1 report (Be35)
Crash/unknown 1 report (Be33)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 19 reports
By Aircraft Type
Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner 6 reports
Be19 Sport 4 reports
Be24 Sierra 4 reports
Be76 Duchess 4 reports
Be77 Skipper 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 13 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 6 reports
Operation at night: 0 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 0 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 5 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 0 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 19 reports
Impact during landing 9 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 5 reports (two Be19s; Be23; Be24; Be77)
Hard landing 2 reports (Be19; Be76)
Loss of directional control during the landing roll after open door in flight 1 report (Be23)
Landing/unknown 1 report (Be23)
Engine failure 3 reports
Engine failure during/immediately after takeoff 2 reports (Be19; Be24)
Engine failure in flight 1 report (Be24)
Landing gear related mishaps 3 reports
Gear up landing 2 reports (Be24; Be76)
Gear collapse during landing 1 report (Be76)
Impact during takeoff
Loss of directional control during takeoff 1 report (Be23)
Miscellaneous/Unknown cause 3 reports
Bird strike 1 report (Be76)
Taxied into object/obstruction 1 report (Be23)
Off-airport landing/reasons unknown 1 report (Be23)
MISCELLANEOUS Models: 1 report
Be45 Mentor/T-34 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 1 report
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 0 reports
Operation at night: 0 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 0 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 0 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 0 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 1 report
Landing gear related mishaps
Gear up landing 1 report (Be45)
Recognize an N-number? Please accept my sincere personal condolences if you or anyone you know was involved in a mishap. I welcome your comments, suggestions and criticisms.
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