Piston Beechcraft Accidents March 17 through March 25, 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
3/17 1635Z (1035 local Tuesday morning): A Be76 “landed gear up…short of the runway” at Denver, Colorado. The two aboard were unhurt and airplane damage is “unknown.” N19U (ME-294) is a 1979 Duchess.
(“Engine failure in flight/attempted single-engine landing,” from additional information from the Aviation Safety Network:
A Beechcraft 76 Duchess experienced engine issues and performed a belly landing in a field short of runway 30R at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport [BJC/KBJC], Broomfield, Colorado. There were no personal injuries and the aircraft received minor damage.)
3/20 1721Z (1321 local Friday afternoon): A Be35 landed gear up at Atlanta, Georgia. No one was hurt and damage is “minor.” N7050N (D-8645) is a 1967 V35A.
(“Gear up landing”)
3/21 1700Z (1300 local Saturday afternoon): A Be35 “bounced on landing, veered off [the] runway and impacted the airport perimeter fence at Saluda, South Carolina. Both persons aboard escaped injury and airplane damage is “unknown.” N15VM (D-9936) is a 1976 V35B.
(“Loss of directional control during landing”)
3/22 2225Z (1525 local Sunday afternoon): The solo pilot of a Be36 died when it “crashed under unknown circumstances in mountainous terrain” near Truckee, California. The extent of airplane damage is “unknown.” N2882W (E-452) was a 1973 A36.
(“Crash/unknown”; “Fatal”; “Airplane destroyed”—the Aviation Safety Network gives more details:
A Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, N2882W, was destroyed when it collided with rugged mountainous terrain south of Olympic Valley, California. The sole pilot onboard sustained fatal injuries.
The Flightaware track log may be consistent with a controlled flight into terrain in cruise level flight at cruise airspeed).
NTSB Preliminary Reports
There are no newly posted piston Beechcraft NTSB reports this week.
2026 SUMMARY
Reported Beechcraft piston mishaps, 2026
Total reported: 30 reports
BONANZA/BARON Series: 24 reports
By Model
Be35 Bonanza 9 reports
Be36 Bonanza 8 reports
Be33 Debonair/Bonanza 4 reports
Be58 Baron 3 reports
Environment
Operation in VMC: 15 reports
Operation in IMC: 2 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 7 reports
Operation at night: 0 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 4 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 7 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 2 reports
PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE
(all subject to update per official findings):
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 4 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)
Unknown 2 reports
Crash/unknown 2 reports (both Be36s)
OTHER EVENTS 20 reports
Landing gear related mishaps 9 reports
Gear collapse during landing 4 reports (Be33, two Be36, Be58)
Gear up landing 4 reports (Be33; three Be35s)
Gear collapse during landing/electrical failure in flight 1 report (Be35)
Engine failure 5 reports
Engine failure in flight 3 reports (two Be33s; Be36)
Engine failure immediately after takeoff 1 report (Be35)
Propeller separation in flight 1 report (Be58)
Impact during landing 4 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 2 reports (Be35; Be36)
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: 5 reports
Skipper, Musketeer, Sundowner, Sierra, Duchess
By Model
Be76 Duchess 2 reports
Be19 Sport 1 report
Be23 Musketeer, Sundowner 1 report
Be24 Sierra 1 report
Environment
Operation in VMC: 4 reports
Operation in IMC: 0 reports
Weather “unknown” or “not reported”: 1 report
Operation at night: 0 reports
Most Serious Injury
“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities): 0 reports
Fatal accidents: 0 reports
Aircraft damage
“Substantial” damage: 3 reports
Aircraft “destroyed”: 0 reports
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 5 reports
Impact during landing 3 reports
Loss of directional control during landing 1 report (Be23)
Loss of directional control during landing/Simulated single-engine landing 1 report (Be76)
Hard landing 1 report (Be19)
Landing gear related mishaps 1 report
Gear up landing 1 reports (Be76)
Engine failure 1 report
Engine failure in flight/attempted single-engine landing 1 report (Be76)
MISCELLANEOUS Models: 1 report
Staggerwing, Twin Beech, Twin Bonanza, Duke, Queen Air
By Model
Be60 Duke 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
FATAL and SERIOUS INJURY EVENTS 0 reports
OTHER EVENTS 2 reports
Impact during landing 1 report
Collision with wires during landing (Be60)
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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.