Mastery
Flight Training, Inc. Beech Weekly Accident Update archives
May 2004 Reports
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 on preliminary topics 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. Please accept my sincere personal condolences if anyone you know was in a mishap. I welcome your comments, suggestions and criticisms. Fly safe, and have fun!
Copyright 2004 Mastery Flight Training, Inc. All Rights Reserved
5/7/04 Report
UPDATE
Re: the 4/23 Be18 partial tailwheel extension and collapse at San
Antonio, Texas, an alert reader noted I'd left off the registry
information. N666AK is a 1954 E18S registered since 2001 to a
corporation based in Wilmington, Delaware.
NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK
4/29 1800Z (1400 local): Landing on Athens, Georgia's Runway 2 with
winds from 150 degrees at 16 knots, two aboard a Be95 avoided injury
when the Travel Air "rolled off the end of the runway." Aircraft damage
is "unknown;" skies were clear and "WIND" (indicating peak winds in
excess of 25 knots) was in the weather observation. N7908M is/was a
1966 D95A registered since 1999 to a corporation in Lake Orion,
Michigan.
("Landed long"-landing distance is increased as much as 20% with a
16-knot wind coming from 40 degrees behind the wing. It would of course
be worse if a stronger gust coincided with the airplane's landing
flare. Athens' Runway 2 is 4000 feet long with trees on both ends,
according to AOPA, making airspeed control and touchdown point fairly
critical in a Travel Air)
5/1 1358Z (0858 local): A Be35 "experienced engine vibration" near
Kansas City, Missouri, and "made an emergency landing on a road." The
solo pilot was not hurt and damage is "unknown." Weather is also
"unknown." N77QQ is/was a 1979 V35B registered since 2002 to a
co-ownership in Blaine, Minnesota.
("Engine failure in flight/vibration")
5/3 0416Z (0016 local): A Be65 "crashed under unknown circumstances" at
Winder, Georgia. The solo pilot of the Queen Air suffered "serious"
injuries, while the aircraft has "unknown" damage. Weather for the
midnight flight is also "unknown." N870KS is/was a 1960 L-23F
registered since 2002 to a corporation in Dacula, Georgia.
("Crash/Unknown"; "Serious injuries"; "Night")
5/6 1030Z (0630 local): A Be35 "landed short" at Aero Acres Airport,
Fort Pierce, Florida. The two aboard report no injuries; aircraft
damage and weather conditions are "unknown." N87AD is/was a 1957 H35
recently (June 2003) registered to a corporation in Ft. Pierce.
("Landed short"; "Recent registration")
NEW NTSB PRELIMINARY REPORTS: All
previously reported in the Weekly Accident Update, and subject to update
per NTSB findings.
**There are no new Beech items posted on the NTSB's web site this week**
5/13/04 Report
UPDATE
Re: the 4/29 Travel Air runway overshoot while landing downwind on the
4000-foot runway at Athens, Georgia: a reader witnessed the event and
reports the landing runway was Rwy 9 and the reader does not know why
the Be95 pilot chose to land on Rwy 2 with strong, gusty winds from the
southeast. The reader further reports the airplane appeared not to
touch down until the last 1000 feet of the runway, ran off into a
depression, and "appears from a distance to have significant damage."
Thanks, reader, for the account.
NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK
5/8 1537Z (1037 local): A Be55 "landed gear up and skidded off the
runway" at Montgomery, Alabama. Despite "substantial" damage, the two
aboard were not hurt. Weather: "clear and 10" with a three-knot wind.
N2733T is a 1967 C55 registered since 1996 to a corporation in
Davenport, Iowa.
("Gear up landing-total electrical failure, did not perform manual
extension"; "Substantial damage"-a well-informed reader relates that the
pilot of the Baron, a highly experienced and well-trained professional
pilot, experienced total electrical failure in VMC and inexplicably did
not perform the manual landing gear extension procedure. The pilot then
conducted a textbook gear-up landing. The airplane, according to the
reader, will be 'totaled')
5/8 1915Z (1515 local): "While landing on runway 09" at Crystal River,
Florida, a Be23 "left the runway, crossed (a) grassy area and taxiway,
and impacted a drainage ditch." The two aboard the "pleasure" flight
weren't injured despite "substantial" aircraft damage. Weather was
"clear and 10" with calm winds. N3659Q is a 1967 A23A recently (April
2004) registered to a co-ownership in Port Richey, Florida.
("Loss of directional control on landing"; "Substantial damage"; "Recent
registration")
5/9 2230Z (1630 local): A Be24 "experienced (a) sudden loss of oil
pressure and made a forced landing on (the) salt flats west of Ogden
Airport, Ogden, Utah. The two "crew" and three passengers escaped
injury, aircraft damage is "unknown;" weather was "clear and 10" with a
three knot surface wind. N9798L is a 1972 A24R registered since 1998 to
a corporation in Clinton, Utah.
("Engine failure in flight-oil loss")
5/12 1710Z (1310 local): A Be35 "made an emergency landing on a driving
range" at West Palm Beach, Florida. The solo pilot received "minor"
injures; the aircraft "substantial" damage. Weather in the area was
"not reported." N551PK is a 1959 K35 registered since 2002 to a
corporation in Wilmington, Delaware.
("Crash/Unknown"; "Substantial damage")
NEW NTSB PRELIMINARY REPORTS: All previously reported in the Weekly
Accident Update, and subject to update per NTSB findings.
**5/8 A23A loss of control during landing at Crystal River, FL, cited
above.
http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=20040512X00595&key=1 **
5/20/04 Report
NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK
5/8 0017Z (1917 local): During a "training" flight at McKinney, Texas,
the crew of a Be76 was cleared for a touch-and-go. The Duchess' nose
wheel collapsed during the ensuing time on the runway. Student and
instructor were unhurt; damage is "unknown." Weather: sky clear,
visibility 10, light winds. N800AD is/was a 1978 model 76 recently
(July 2003) registered to a corporation in Addison, Texas.
("Gear collapse--touch and go landing"; "Recent registration"-another in
the historically strong correlation between touch and goes and landing
gear collapse mishaps)
5/14 1703Z (1103 local): A Be36 leaving Wichita, Kansas and landing at
Leadville, Colorado, "slid east to west," sparing the two aboard injury
and causing "unknown" damage. Weather at Leadville was "few clouds" at
7000 feet, visibility 10 with winds from 320 degrees at 14 gusting to 19
knots. Surface temperature was +4C. N567TM is/was a 2002 B36TC recently
(March 2004) registered to a corporation in Wichita, Kansas.
("Landing/unknown"; "Recent registration"-even at that temperature the
density altitude is very high by most standards. There is a tendency to
think that turbocharging makes mountain flying a nonissue. Yet ground
speed on landing would be greater than "normal" for the pilot, giving
unusual sight cues that may have confounded the pilot when dealing with
strong winds. Winds like this in the mountains almost always mean
strong turbulence as well. This may have been a loss of control, or
from the write-up may be a landing gear mishap)
5/15 0100Z (1700 local): A Be35's "nose and right gear collapsed" on
landing at Merrill Field, Anchorage, Alaska. The solo pilot was unhurt;
damage is "unknown." Weather: 15,000 broken, visibility 10 miles with
an eight-knot wind. N9844R is a 1960 M35 registered since 1990 to a
co-ownership in Port Alsworth, Alaska.
("Gear collapse on landing")
5/16 0250Z (2150 local): The landing gear of a Be58 collapsed on
rollout after touching down at Lawrenceville, Illinois. The two aboard
were not injured despite "substantial" damage. Weather for the night,
IFR flight was "few clouds" at 1800, 2500 overcast, visibility 10 miles
with a five-knot wind. N673HP is a 1982 Model 58 registered since 2001
to an individual in Vincennes, Indiana.
("Gear collapse on landing"; "Substantial damage"; "Night")
5/17 0016Z (2016 local): A Be36 was cleared to land on Raleigh/Durham,
North Carolina's Runway 23L when it "lost an engine and crashed,"
killing the solo pilot. The Bonanza was "destroyed." Weather for the
night, visual flight was clear with seven miles' visibility and calm
surface winds. N4550S was a 1975 A36 registered since 1992 to a
corporation in Raleigh, North Carolina.
("Engine failure on approach/landing"; "Fatal"; "Aircraft destroyed";
"Night"-local media reports the pilot, owner of the corporation that
owned the airplane, hit power lines that knocked out local power and
hindered rescue and recovery efforts).
5/17 2145Z (1745 local): A Be58 "sustained prop tip damage" on landing
at Miami, Florida. The pilot, beginning an IFR flight from Miami to St.
Petersburg, Florida, returned to Miami within a minute of departure for
reasons not stated in the report. The solo pilot has "unknown"
injuries, the airplane "minor" damage. Weather: "not reported." N2022T
is a 1978 Model 58 registered since early 2003 to a corporation in
Wilmington, Delaware.
("Propeller strike on landing"-was this an aborted takeoff? A door
opening event? Engine trouble? Other distraction?)
5/20 0028Z (1908 local): A Be23 "threw a prop(eller)" and the pilot
"made a dead stick landing" near Plainview, Texas. The solo pilot has
"unknown" injuries; damage is also "unknown" and the weather was "not
reported." N6943Q is/was a 1967 A23A recently (October 2003) registered
to an individual in Amarillo, Texas.
("Engine failure in flight-propeller separation"; "Recent registration")
NEW NTSB PRELIMINARY REPORTS: All previously reported in the Weekly
Accident Update, and subject to update per NTSB findings.
**There are no new Beech piston reports on the NTSB web site this week**
5/27/04 Report
NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK
5/23 1146Z (0746 local): Seven minutes after departing Atlanta,
Georgia's Peachtree-Dekalb Airport on a local flight, a Be24 returned
and "landed gear up and caught fire." The solo pilot is unhurt; damage
is "substantial." Weather was "not reported." N6005H is a 1978 C24R
registered since 1991 to a corporation in Decatur, Georgia.
("Gear up landing"; "Substantial damage"-it's unusual but not unheard of
for a gear-up landing to result in a fire, reminding us to immediately
evacuate an aircraft following a landing gear-related mishap)
5/23 2230Z (1530 local): The landing gear of a Be35 collapsed on takeoff
from Wrangell, Alaska. The pilot and three passengers have "unknown"
injuries, the airplane "minor" damage. Weather was "clear and 10" with
an eight-knot breeze. N111K is a 1961 N35 registered since April 2003
to a corporation in Wrangell.
("Gear collapse on takeoff"-if there is nothing more to the scenario
than what's in the report, and if I'd had to guess about a causal
factor, I'd say the first place to look would be the gear tensions that
may not have been set firmly enough to withstand takeoff forces)
5/26 1940Z (1440 local): Completing a trip from Dallas, Texas, a Be58
"ran off the end of the runway and flipped into (a) creek," on landing
at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma's Downtown Airport. The solo pilot reported
no injury; airplane damage is "substantial." Weather: "few clouds" at
4000,16,000 scattered, visibility 10, temperature 33C with surface winds
from 180 degrees at 16 gusting to 22 knots. N72SC is a 1984 58P
registered since 1999 to a corporation in Duncan, Oklahoma.
("Landed long"; "Substantial damage"-local news reports [see
http://www.channeloklahoma.com/news/3350368/detail.html] state the
pilot "missed the runway" and was "slightly injured" with "cuts and
bruises," but refused medical treatment. The website shows the Baron,
gear down and flaps up, upside down in the ditch. AOPA lists airport
2DT as having a Runway "16-34: 3240X85; asphalt; PCL; pwrlines ry 16;
railroad ry 34." I know from personal experience that an uphill landing
on a 3300-foot strip with a significant runway upslope was marginal for
landing a 58TC on a hot day, even lightly loaded and slowed below "book"
landing speed with vortex generators. A P-Baron [same "book" speeds]
would require an 1800 foot ground roll and 2800 foot if clearing a 50-ft
obstacle at the runway threshold in still air at 500 pounds below
maximum weight, according to the POH. Assuming the pilot was landing on
Runway 16, most closely aligned with the gusty wind, he would have a
reduced runway requirement but still need to touch down very near the
arrival end of the runway. If he overshot the touchdown point and/or he
carried excess speed above "book" [adding too much airspeed in
compensation for the wind and/or employing the common but
incorrect-for-short-field-performance twin technique of carrying "blue
line" speed to the landing flare] there was likely no way he could have
stopped in time. It's unclear whether the pilot had landed flaps up
[presumably because of the wind], which that would have made stopping on
such a runway virtually impossible, or if he retracted the flaps during
the ground roll in an attempt to add stopping power to the Baron's
brakes [as often discussed here, not effective and generally not a good
idea because of the hazard of inadvertent gear retraction].
NEW NTSB PRELIMINARY REPORTS: All previously reported in the Weekly
Accident Update, and subject to update per NTSB findings.
**4/28 "Minor injury" A36 off-airport landing near Bedford,
Massachusetts. The pilot and his passenger were on the first flight
since installation of a "remanufactured" engine. Just after takeoff RPM
began to drop and the engine appeared to seize; the pilot had
insufficient altitude to attempt to turn back; the landing gear
collapsed on touchdown in the infield and the Bonanza skidded between
parked airplanes. Change "Aircraft destroyed" to "Substantial damage"
and remove "Serious injuries."
http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=20040525X00656&key=1 **
**5/12 K35 engine failure in the traffic pattern, and subsequent
off-airport landing, Lake worth, Florida. Change "Crash/Unknown" to
"Engine Failure on Approach/Landing." Add "Serious" injuries.
http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=20040520X00618&key=1 **
**5/16 fatal A36 fatal engine failure on approach at Morrisville
(Raleigh-Durham), North Carolina. The report seems to suggest that fuel
starvation or exhaustion is a factor being investigated.
http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=20040524X00640&key=1 **
**5/19 A23A inflight propeller separation, Kress, Texas. There were two,
not one, aboard the airplane; they were not injured, no damage resulted
from the landing on a dirt airstrip. The engine's crankshaft had
sheared just aft of the propeller flange; total time was 936 hours since
major overhaul, but the airplane had just been returned to service with
an annual inspection in January 2004 after sitting in storage since
1981. Add "Dual instruction."
http://www.ntsb.gov/NTSB/brief.asp?ev_id=20040525X00664&key=1 **
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