Piston Beechcraft Accidents February 12 through February 24, 2026
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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New Reports this Week
2/9 2205Z (1705 local Monday evening): A Be19 landed hard and its landing gear collapsed at Umatilla, Florida. The solo pilot escaped injury despite “substantial” airplane damage. N245MJ (MB-814) is a B19 Sport.
(“Hard landing”; “Substantial damage”)
2/11 2326Z (1726 local Wednesday evening): Two aboard a Be36 died and the airplane suffered “substantial” damage after the pilot reported “oil on the windshield” about an hour after an enroute fuel stop. According to the NTSB preliminary report:
The pilot told the controller he was going to land at Echo Lake Airport (TX40), Murchison, Texas. During the emergency landing the airplane impacted pine trees and [then] a power line pole. Examination found two holes in the engine crankcase above the location of the Nos. 2 and 4 cylinders. The ATP pilot was in the front left seat and the student-rated passenger was in the right rear seat near the aft cabin door.
N3215U (E-2915) is a 1994 A36.
(“Catastrophic engine failure in flight”; “Fatal”; “Substantial damage)
2/12 1845Z (1345 local Thursday afternoon): The solo pilot of a Be23 avoided injury when the Sundowner “landed and veer off [the] runway into a ditch” at Knoxville, Tennessee. The airplane has “unknown” damage. N1988L (M-1842) is a 1976 C23.
(“Loss of directional control during landing”)
2/15 1915Z (1315 local Sunday afternoon): A Be35 landed gear up at Weatherford, Oklahoma. The pilot and three passengers were unhurt; airplane damage is “unknown.” N6824Q (D-7447) is a 1964 S35.
(“Gear up landing”)
2/17 1824Z (1324 local Tuesday afternoon): A Be35 was departing Gulf Shores, Alabama, when its pilot “declared an emergency and landed gear up.” The three aboard were unhurt and damage is “unknown.” N35KA (D-10231) is a 1979 V35B.
(“Takeoff/unknown”—my guess is the declared emergency concerned engine power but there is no word as yet).
2/21 2216Z (1716 local Saturday evening): A Be36’s nose gear collapsed during landing at Manassas, Virginia. The solo pilot was unhurt and airplane damage is “substantial.” N1807F (EA-235) is a 1981 A36TC.
(“Gear collapse during landing”; “Substantial damage”)
2/22 2040Z (1540 local Sunday afternoon): A Be36’s nose gear collapsed during landing at Brunswick, Georgia. The solo pilot was unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N191JK (E-1943) is a 1982 A36.
(“Gear collapse during landing”)
NTSB Preliminary Reports
2/1 V35B runway collision with a PA28 at Odessa, Texas. From the report:
According to a statement from the pilot of N9AB [the Bonanza], about 10 nautical miles from Odessa Airport-Schlemeyer Field (KODO), Odessa, Texas, when he had KODO in sight, he cancelled his IFR flight plan, checked the automated weather observing system (AWOS), and made an announcement on the common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF) for KODO. He reported that he flew over the airport at 4,500 feet msl, entered a left downwind for runway 11 and transmitted, “N9AB on downwind for 11.” He reported having made a normal landing on runway 11, and when he started to apply the brakes, he noticed a single-engine airplane on the runway. The pilot immediately applied full power and raised the nose of the airplane to get off the ground and avoid the other airplane. He felt the undercarriage of his airplane impact the other airplane, and subsequently he lost control of the airplane.
According to the statement from the pilot of N6780W [the Cherokee], he planned to take off from runway 20 and was monitoring the CTAF. According to the pilot the fixed-base operator had told N95AB runway 20 was the favored runway and that N95AB had acknowledged to use runway 20 to land. He heard no further radio transmissions from N95AB. He proceeded northbound toward runway 20 and had to cross two runways. He stated that before crossing each runway, “we visually cleared both directions and detected no traffic.” He then went on to say, that while crossing runway 11/29, “we again looked right, then left, and at that moment caught a brief glimpse of an approaching aircraft.” At that time, he stated his airplane was about three quarters of the way across the runway. Full braking was applied to avoid the oncoming airplane but despite braking his airplane was struck by N95AB which appeared to be attempting a landing or possible go around on runway 11.
On site examination of the airplanes showed that N95AB went through the windscreen of N6780W and struck the instrument panel and other structure which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage forward of the cockpit a-pillars. N95AB was substantially damaged and came to rest off the side of the runway with its left wing partially separated.
Amazingly, there were two people aboard each airplane and none were injured.
2/9 Beech Sport hard landing and gear collapse at Umatilla, Florida, cited above.
2/11 double-fatality catastrophic engine failure in flight at Murchison, Texas, cited above.
2/22 A36TC nose gear collapse at Manassas, Virginia, cited above.
2026 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2026
Total reported: 18 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 16 reports
By Model
Be35 Bonanza 6 reports
Be36 Bonanza 5 reports
Be58 Baron 3 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 2 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 12 reports
Operation in IMC: 1 report
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 3 reports
Operation at night: 0 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 2 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 6 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 0 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 2 reports
Loss of control in flight (LOC-I)
Loss of control in IMC 1 report (Be36)
Engine failure
Catastrophic engine failure in flight 1 report (Be36)
OTHER EVENTS 14 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 6 reports
Gear collapse during landing 4 reports (Be33, two Be36, Be58)
Gear collapse during landing/electrical failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
Gear up landing 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure 4 reports
Engine failure in flight 2 reports (Be33; Be36)
Engine failure immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be35)
Propeller separation in flight 1 report (Be58)
Impact during landing 2 reports
Runway overrun 1 report (Be58)
Collision with an airplane that pulled on onto runway 1 report (Be35)
Impact during takeoff 2 reports
Stall immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be35)
Takeoff/unknown 1 report (Be35)
BEECH AERO CLUB Series: 2 reports
Skipper, Musketeer, Sundowner, Sierra, Duchess
By Model
Be19 Sport 1 report
Be23 Musketeer, Sundowner 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 2 reports
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: 1 report
Aircraft “destroyed”: 0 reports
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 2 reports
Impact during landing 2 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 1 report (Be23)
Hard landing 1 report (Be19)
MISCELLANEOUS Models: 0 reports
Staggerwing, Twin Beech, Twin Bonanza, Queen Air
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Recognize an N-number? Want to check on friends or family that may have been involved in a cited mishap? Click here to find the registered owner. Please accept my sincere personal condolences if you or anyone you know was involved in a mishap. I welcome your comments, suggestions and criticisms.