Mastery Flight Training, Inc. 

Beech Weekly Accident Update archives

 

May 2007 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!

 

©2007 Mastery Flight Training, Inc.  All Rights Reserved

 

5/3/2007 Report

 

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

 

4/26 2036Z (1136 local):  A Be18 sustained “substantial” damage when its right main gear collapsed on landing at Levelock, Alaska.  The pilot, alone in the Twin Beech, was uninjured.  Weather was VFR.  “During a telephone conversation with the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) on April 27, the pilot said about 200 feet into the landing roll he heard the gear warning horn activate, and saw the gear in-transit light illuminate. He said the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane exited the runway. The pilot said the left gear sheared off as it encountered soft terrain on the side of the runway. He said the airplane sustained damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were known problems with the landing gear prior to the accident.”  N502CK (A-3666) is a 1954 D18S recently (September 2006) registered to a corporation in Kenai, Alaska.

 

(“Gear collapse on landing—known mechanical system failure”; “Substantial damage; “Recent registration””—and an advisory against operating with a known defect.  If this air freight operation is typical of the industry there may have been significant pressure to continue operations with a known problem, but the false economy of that strategy has now resulted in an out-of-commission airplane for the operator.)

 

4/26 2103Z (1703 local):  A Be58’s landing gear collapsed on landing at Wings Field, Amber, Pennsylvania.  The solo pilot. arriving from Philadelphia, was not hurt despite “substantial” aircraft damage.  Weather: 4500 broken, visibility 6+ miles, with surface winds at five knots.  N580DG does not appear on the FAA database as an assigned registration.

 

(“Gear collapse on landing”; “Substantial damage”)

 

4/28 2127Z (1427 local):  A Be35 landing at Harris Ranch, Sacramento, California, struck a runway light and incurred “unknown” damage.  The pilot and three passengers were unhurt.  Weather: “clear and 10” with calm winds.  N2841W (D-9493) is a 1973 V35B registered since 1985 to a co-ownership in Sacramento.

 

(“Impact with obstacle on landing”)

 

4/29 0350Z (2050Z 4/28/2007):  During a night approach to Hawthorne, California, a Be36 “struck a powerline and crashed inverted in a field” about two miles short of and aligned with Runway 25.  The solo pilot received “serious” injuries; the Bonanza was “destroyed”.  Weather at nearby KLAX was 400 overcast, visibility four miles in drizzle, with a four-knot wind.  N3172L (EA-485) was a 1988 B36TC recently (4/17/2007—12 days before the crash) registered to a co-ownership in Avondale, Arizona.

 

(“Impact with obstacle on approach—night IMC”; “Serious injuries”; “Aircraft destroyed”; “IMC”; “Night”; “Recent registration”—A local news report identifies the pilot as in his 20s and as having received crushing injuries to his legs.  It includes a video of the wreckage, on its top on the ground with the landing gear and at least partial flaps extended.  The FAA preliminary report does not indicate the flight was on an IFR flight plan in night, LIFR conditions and there is no record of the trip on www.flightaware.com [in fact, the most recent record for this N-number is over 500 days old], but readers confirm a “pop-up” or Tower Enroute Control clearance may not always be reflected in a Flightaware flight track, or the aircraft owner may have opted out of the tracking system.  The lowest approach minima to KHHR appear on the LOC 25 approach. This calls for the pilot to descend no lower than 660 MSL [600 AGL] until 2.7 miles out, then down to no lower than 600 MSL [540 AGL] until the missed approach point at 0.9 miles from the threshold.  In IMC and especially at night, be extremely careful to maintain situational awareness, and if you “go visual” to continue to remain above MDA until passing any charted visual descent points [none on this approach] and intercepting any visual approach slope guidance such as the VASI.)     

4/30 2315Z (1815 local):  A Be35 “landed in a cornfield after [an] engine failure,” at Raymond, Mississippi.  The Bonanza had just departed Raymond with a planned destination of Fort Dodge, Iowa.  The solo pilot was not hurt and damage is “minor”.  Weather was “clear and 10” with surface winds gusting to 15 knots.  N8820M (D-7331) is a 1964 S35 registered since 2001 to a corporation in Brandon, Mississippi.

 

(“Engine failure in flight”—any number of possibilities might have contributed to this mishap, including fuel contamination, fuel starvation [from an improperly positioned fuel selector, or attempted takeoff on auxiliary tanks], or of course a mechanical engine failure.)

 

 

NTSB PRELIMINARY or FACTUAL REPORTS:  All previously reported in the Weekly Accident Update, and subject to change per NTSB findings.

 

**4/16 D18S gear collapse on landing at Levelock, Alaska, cited above.**

 

**4/22 Baron 58 in-flight break-up that killed five at Hamilton, Georgia.  I will probably have much to write about this mishap after the shock of reading the NTSB preliminary report wears off.  The homicidal pilot involved, based on witness statements, was the epitome of an “accident waiting to happen” [although this mishap was hardly an “accident”].    For now, I’ll repeat the “lesson” from last week’s report--leave aerobatic flight to properly trained pilots flying aerobatic-certified airplanes in airspace authorized for aerobatics.** 

 

 

5/10/2007 Report

 

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

 

5/2 2055Z (1355 local):  A Be35 suffered “substantial” damage when it “landed short of the runway” during a “precautionary” landing at Kayenta, Arizona.  The solo pilot has “serious” injuries.  The Bonanza was en route from Grand Junction, Colorado to Phoenix, Arizona.  “The pilot reported that he lost pitch authority for the aircraft while in cruise flight at 12,500 mean sea level. He maneuvered the airplane to a nearby airport (Kayenta) in an effort to land however, when he lowered the landing gear, while on final to the runway, the airplane abruptly pitched over and collided with terrain.  Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that both the left and right ruddervators had separated from the stabilizer assembly at some point during the flight.”   Weather was “clear and 10” with a nine-knot wind.  N3210L (D-9953) is a 1976 V35B registered since 2005 to a co-ownership in Sahuarita, Arizona.

 

(“In-flight ruddervator separation”; “Serious injuries”; “Substantial damage”—speculation will likely turn toward any recent maintenance on the tail of this Bonanza that might have included removal and installation of the ruddervators.),

 

5/5 1630Z (1130 local):  A Be35 “landed in a pasture and struck a fence”, at Whitesboro, Texas.  The solo pilot was not hurt; aircraft damage is “minor”.  Weather conditions are “not reported”.  N850T (D-9367) is a 1972 V35B registered since 1997 to an individual in Mineola, Texas.

 

(“Impact with obstacle—off airport landing”—the pilot reports he was flying into the short, grass airstrip as part of a group of airplanes.  He was last in line and was following an airplane ahead of him in the pattern but lost sight of the preceding airplane “in the haze” on final approach.  Continuing along the probable track of the preceding airplane, the pilot of the accident aircraft was aligned not with the grass runway, but instead with a plowed field and did not realize it until it was “too late to go around”.  The aircraft touched down and was approaching obstacles so the pilot kicked the rudder and the Bonanza “slid sideways” into the fence.  The pilot expects he will be able to fly out of the field on an FAA Special Flight Authorization [“ferry permit”] to complete repairs.  There is no provision in civilian flying for delegating responsibility for navigation, traffic or terrain avoidance, cloud clearance and visibility requirements, or runway selection to the pilot of another aircraft.  Even in a visual approach [Aeronautical Information Manual 5-4-22] which is an IFR clearance where a pilot may follow another airplane known to be headed for the same airport, the PIC cannot delegate any authority for safe completion of the flight to that other pilot.  When flying in close proximity to other airplanes remember that you are still solely responsible for the safe outcome of your flight.)  

 

5/7 0200Z (2100 local 5/6/2007):  A Be35 was taxing when its landing gear collapsed, at Paris, Tennessee.  The solo pilot reports no injury; damage is “minor” and weather was “not reported”.  N5661K (D-7592) is a 1964 S35 recently (August 2006) registered to a corporation in Paris.

 

(“Gear collapse during taxi”; “Night”; “Recent registration”) 

 

5/8 1915Z (1215 local):  A Be35 landed gear up at Santa Maria, California.  The solo pilot was not hurt and damage is “minor”.  Weather: “clear and 10” with a nine-knot wind.  N488T (D-6726) is a 1961 N35 recently (November 2006) registered to an individual in Clovis, California.

 

(“Gear up landing”; “Recent registration”)

 

 

NTSB PRELIMINARY or FACTUAL REPORTS:  All previously reported in the Weekly Accident Update, and subject to change per NTSB findings.

 

**4/8 F35 collision with the runway after gear retraction while attempting to take off from the site of an off-airport precautionary landing, at Wheatland, Wyoming.  Change “Takeoff/unknown” to “Impact with obstacle following takeoff/unable to attain climb.”  The pilot states he “was en route to Fargo, North Dakota, on April 7, when the weather began to deteriorate. [He] elected to perform a forced landing to a field. The forced landing was uneventful. On April 8, the pilot attempted to depart from a nearby dirt field, utilizing FAA recommended soft field takeoff procedures. The airplane became airborne, the pilot gently lowered the nose to gain airspeed, and the airplane settled back to the ground. All three landing gear collapsed. The propeller was curled aft at both tips and the belly of the fuselage was crushed up and wrinkled. Both keels on each side of the nose wheel were bent and the bulkheads within the nose basket buckled. The pilot did not report any systems issues. An examination of the airplane systems revealed no anomalies.”—The pilot may not have been familiar with the effects of density altitude on a soft-field [ground effect] liftoff, and was too quick to raise the landing gear.  Obstacles on the off-airport location and/or a desire to maximize acceleration and/or climb may have contributed to retracting the landing gear before a positive rate of climb was established.  Almost all aviation insurance companies realize it’s in their best interest, as well as those of the pilot, to prevent attempted takeoffs from off-airport locations following a successful off-airport landing, hence almost all policies will pay to disassemble an airplane to the extent necessary for ground transport, to move the aircraft to an airport, and for reassembly of the aircraft.  Should you ever find your airplane on an off-airport location you should consider taking advantage of such a policy provision.** 

 

**5/2 V35B in-flight ruddervator separation from the airframe and subsequent pitch down into the surface on final approach, cited above.** 

 

 

5/17/2007 Report

 

UPDATE

 

RE: the 1/14/2007 F35 off-airport landing near Sedona, Arizona: change “Force landed due to unspecified mechanical problem” to “Engine-driven fuel pump failure” and note there was “no damage”.  The hand-operated wobble pump on E-series engine Bonanzas was never intended to keep the airplane airborne if the engine-drive fuel pump quits.  It’s unrealistic to consider continuous pilot action on the wobble pump is feasible in a single-pilot airplane.  The pilot in this incident strongly urges others who fly wobble pump-equipped airplanes install the available aftermarket electric fuel pump as an emergency device. 

 

 

NEW REPORTS THIS WEEK

 

5/9 2105Z (1705 local):  On landing rollout at Greenville, South Carolina, the landing gear of a Be33 collapsed.  The two aboard were not hurt and damage is “unknown”.  Weather: 4600 broken, visibility 30 miles with a 14-knot surface wind.  N5808K (CD-901) is a 1965 C33 registered since 2002 to a corporation in Greenville.

 

(“Gear collapse on landing”)

 

5/11 1903Z (1503 local):  A Be35 and a Cessna 172 collided in flight over Cincinnati, Ohio, approximately 2.5 miles from the Cincinnati Blue Ash airport.  The collision resulted in the deaths of the solo Bonanza pilot and two aboard the Cessna.  Both aircraft were “destroyed”.  Weather: 13,000 broken, 25,000 broken, visibility 10 miles with surface winds at nine knots.  N1835L (D-10097) was a 1978 V35B registered since 1998 to an individual in West Chester, Ohio.

 

(“Midair collision”; “Fatal”; “Aircraft destroyed”—local press reports a “witness told federal investigators that she saw two small aircraft clip wings before spiraling to the ground...” and includes links to photos of the two crash sites, about a mile apart.  It identified the Bonanza pilot as well as the student and experienced instructor in the Cessna.  “Martha Lunken, a retired inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration, called Friday's collision ‘a classic’ scenario. ‘It's within five miles of the airport on a nice sunny day,’ she said. ‘That's where airplanes congregate.’"  Despite all our technology and the help of ATC, “see and avoid” is still the only defense against midairs in visual meteorological conditions.  The threat is historically greatest close to airports in very good weather. Dual flight instruction correlates with many midairs, the assumption being a student is busy receiving training and his/her instructor is focusing exclusively on teaching instead of participating in their airplane’s part in the see-and-avoid “package” of multiple airplanes and pilots.  Instructors: your primary responsibility in flight is safety; teaching responsibilities come next.  All pilots need to actively scan for other aircraft, especially in the vicinity of airports.)

 

5/14 1700Z (1300 local):  A Be36’s landing gear collapsed on landing at Thomaston, Georgia.  The solo pilot was not hurt and damage is “minor”.  Weather was “clear and 10” with an eight-knot wind.  N44TE (E-796) is a 1975 A36 registered in May 2006 to a corporation based in Thomaston.

 

(“Gear collapse on landing”)

 

 

NTSB PRELIMINARY or FACTUAL REPORTS:  All previously reported in the Weekly Accident Update, and subject to change per NTSB findings.

 

**4/18 fatal B55 pitch-up on takeoff at Saranac Lake, New York.  This mishap has incited much speculation on internet discussion boards because the pilot was so visible in the Beechcraft community.  The report makes it obvious, however, that none of us knew the pilot nearly as well as we may have thought.  The lack of pilot certification or medical records under the name the pilot used, and years-long duration since records of medicals or training activity [as well as lack of multiengine certification] may or may not have been factors in this specific mishap.  It’s come to light since the pilot’s death that he had serious medical issues that would have prevented pilot medical certification, and there is therefore a possibility some incapacitation at the moment of takeoff may indeed have resulted in the pitch-up and subsequent stall.  Investigators on the scene have reportedly said both engines were developing power at the moment of impact [typical propeller damage patterns for running vs. windmilling propellers are not always accurate in a high-angle impact], although the NTSB has retained the engines for further investigation.  Other possibilities include misfueling and detonation leading to engine destruction, and attempted takeoff with auxiliary fuel tanks selected and subsequent fuel starvation, but neither of these is confirmed or even officially suspected at this time.  The on-scene investigators report the seat and seat back did not fail, and that all controls were free and correct.  A possible clue from the NTSB preliminary report is that the pilot was taking off shortly after a “commuter plane” landed, and that surface winds were strong and gusty.  Another possibility, then, is that the pilot attempted to lift off and climb out rapidly to avoid the commuter’s wake turbulence, and then stalled as a result of gusts and wind shear at a high takeoff attitude.  Again, this is mere speculation at this point.  Change “Takeoff/Unknown” to “Stall/Spin on takeoff* and “substantial damage” to “aircraft destroyed”  I hope more becomes clear in 12 to 15 months when the NTSB “Probable Cause” report is published.**

 

**4/29 “serious injury” B36TC collision with power lines during an instrument approach at Hawthorne, California.  Change “Impact with obstacle on approach—night IMC” to “Controlled flight into terrain—Descent below minimum altitude on approach—night IMC”.  The Bonanza was on a “pop up” instrument clearance flying an instrument approach, as was discussed in the first WAU report.  “During the approach, the radar target…was observed about 2 minutes prior to the accident to be below the minimum descent altitude (MDA) of 600 feet msl. [Controllers] received a minimum safe altitude warning (MSAW) alert, advised the pilot of the warning, and asked him if he had the airport in sight. The pilot replied that he did not have the airport in sight. [The controller then] instructed the pilot to switch to the local UNICOM for HHR. The last radar return for the target was in the area of the accident site/location at a mode C reported altitude of 300 feet.”  Initially expecting a VFR landing at Hawthorne and apparently surprised with the IMC weather, the pilot may not have completely briefed, set up and/or mentally prepared for the instrument approach—take the time needed to be fully ready for the fly the procedure.  Act quickly and positively, to include climbing and then verifying your altimeter is set and functioning properly, if controllers give you a Minimum Safe Altitude warning while you’re flying an instrument approach**

 

**4/30 S35 engine failure in cruise near Brookfield, Missouri.  Change “minor” to “substantial” damage.**

 

 

5/24/2007 Report

UPDATE

 

Regarding the May 2, 2007 V35B in-flight ruddervator separation and subsequent pitch into the ground after gear extension at Kayenta, Arizona: Local sources report the pilot has no memory of vibration or flutter before beginning the mind-bogglingly controlled descent from 12,500 feet without any pitch control other than power.  The turbocharged airplane was being flown at a high indicated airspeed and may have encountered “severe” turbulence, the pilot reportedly said.  The ruddervators reportedly separated behind the mounting structure, with the attachment hinges, mounting hardware and perhaps a small part of one ruddervator remaining attached to the airframe.  The ruddervators themselves have not been found and are presumed to have separated at cruise altitude.

 

 

FROM UNOFFICIAL SOURCES

 

5/17 (time not reported):  A reader called to report he was in his Be33 over the Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri at 7000 feet when the “engine started running real bad.”  CHTs for cylinders 1, 3 and 5 “dropped off the scale” and a magneto check did nothing to smooth out the 500-SMOH engine.  The pilot pulled the throttle to idle—which “stopped the shake”—and punched the “nearest” button on his GPS.  The nearest airport was Lee C. Fine, and the long runway was in sight.  Terrain in the area is rocky and rugged, heavily forested with a deep-water reservoir and significant residential and commercial properties on the few level areas.  Declaring an emergency and advising ATC of his intentions, the controller replied that Lee C. Fine airport was NOTAM’d closed for runway resurfacing, and equipment might be on the runway.  She suggested Grand Glaize Airport (K15), about 10 miles away, and the pilot made a successful glide to and landing on the short runway.  After landing the pilot pulled the propeller through and “felt good compression on all cylinders”.  Further investigation revealed oil under the engine and two bent or broken push rod tubes.  A partial engine teardown revealed four additional bent pushrod tubes but no further damage.  Engine mechanics thought indications looked like the result of a hydraulic lock but that would only make sense during start-up, not after the engine was running.  The pilot notes that at about 100 SMOH the propeller was removed and reinstalled, and during maintenance emptied of oil.  The propeller had a short but “significant overspeed” on the next takeoff.  The pilot speculates that the overspeed may have induced stresses that 400 hours later resulted in enough damage to cause the in-flight engine failure.  There is currently no FAA or NTSB report of this incident and the reader wishes to remain anonymous. 

 

(“Pushrod tube failure in flight”—the pilot offers three lessons as a result of this experience:

 

[1] Flying IFR provides a tremendous improvement in safety.  File and fly IFR whenever possible. 

 

[2] Altitude is key to surviving an engine failure.  Although flying low gives a greater sense of speed, fly as high as conditions permit and makes sense.

 

[3] Check NOTAMs not only for departure and destination airports, but for ALL airports along the route of flight to eliminate those that are closed for runway repairs from a list of possible alternates or “nearest” airports.  There was nothing available from the cockpit but ATC to provide this information when it was needed.

 

The pilot also notes that, if “user fees” for IFR operation of piston airplanes are some day enacted [they are not currently proposed under any version of FAA reauthorization--tt], he would be very tempted to fly VFR whenever conditions permit.  In this case he says his lack of information about Lee C. Fine’s runway closure may have been fatal.  User fees will reduce safety, he says, with his experience being a prime example.

 

I add the following lesson: Any unusual engine event, such as a major oil leak or a propeller overspeed, suggests a close inspection of the engine and perhaps additional, focused inspections at regular intervals for at least the next few hundred operating hours to determine that the event did not cause minor damage that could over time develop to cause an engine failure in flight.)         

 

5/19 (time and location not reported):  A reader reports a Be35 struck a deer on landing at an unidentified airport.  There was no injury to the pilot and damage to the aircraft appears to be minor, limited to the left main landing gear and gear door.  Weather conditions and time of day are not reported.  The airplane was not identified by registration or serial number.

 

(“Impact with animal while landing”)

 

 

NEW FEDERAL REPORTS THIS WEEK

 

5/17 1336Z (0936 local):  A Be55 was en route from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, bound for Wilmington, Delaware, when the pilot reported a “rough running engine” and subsequently shut that engine down.  The Baron subsequently crashed at Dunkirk, New York, killing all three aboard and “destroying” the airplane.  Weather was 800 broken, 1400 overcast, visibility three miles in drizzle, and surface winds from 310˚ at six knots.  C-FDJP (TC-311) was a 1962 A55 registered since 2005 to a corporation in Pickering, Ontario.

 

(“Loss of control—single engine missed approach in IMC”; “Fatal”; “IMC”—Local news reports the Baron pilot “reported engine failure and shut the engine down” before Air Traffic Control provided vectors to the accident airport.  The Baron pilot was attempting a nonprecision approach [no ILS is available at Dunkirk], had already missed the approach and “come back around a second time”, and was making his second single-engine missed approach when apparently airspeed decayed and the airplane stalled and spun into the ground.  Except when extremely lightly loaded, a Baron is incapable of level flight on one engine with the landing gear extended, and climbing out in a go-around or missed approach is marginal at best even with the gear retracted.  Barons will fly level quite well on one engine; if faced with a single-engine approach after shutting down in cruise it may be wiser to fly anywhere within your range to conditions that permit a visual approach to a long runway.  If conditions and range force you to fly an instrument approach on one engine, fly anywhere within range that has an approach with vertical guidance [ILS or nonprecision approach with vertical guidance] and the best available weather.  Getting in a hurry to get down after properly securing an engine often turns a successful engine failure response into a deadly tragedy.)

 

5/18 1645Z (1145 local):  A Be58 hit a deer at Madison, Alabama.  Pilot injury, the extent of aircraft damage, and weather conditions are all “unknown”.  N3UH (TH-1577) is a 1990 Baron 58 recently (December 2006) registered to an aircraft sales corporation in Valley View, Texas.

 

(“Impact with object/animal during takeoff”; “Recent registration”)

 

5/19 1500Z (1100 local):  A Be35’s landing gear collapsed at Greenville, Michigan, sparing the lone pilot injury and causing “minor” aircraft damage.  Weather: 9000 broken, 12,000 broken, 18,000 broken, visibility 10 miles with a 14-knot surface wind.  N5027B (D-4292) is a 1955 F35 registered since 1997 to an individual in Greenville.

 

(“Gear collapse on landing”)

 

 

 

NTSB PRELIMINARY or FACTUAL REPORTS:  All previously reported in the Weekly Accident Update, and subject to change per NTSB findings.

 

**5/11 triple-fatality V35B/Cessna 172N in-flight collision near Cincinnati Blue Ash Airport, Sharonville, Ohio.  The Bonanza had departed Blue Ash ten minutes earlier, performed some maneuvers at 2500 to 2900 feet MSL, and was descending back into Blue Ash when it and the Cessna climbing out of Blue Ash on an instructional flight collided two miles from the airport.** 

 

 

 

SUMMARY: Reported Raytheon/Beechcraft piston mishaps, year-to-date 2007:

 

Total reported:  72 reports 

 

Operation in VMC:  47 reports   (65% of the total)    

Operation in IMC:     6 reports   (8% of the total)    

Weather “unknown” or “not reported”:  19 reports    

Operation at night:  9 reports   (13% of the total)    

 

Fatal accidents:  14 reports   (19% of the total)    

“Serious” injury accidents (not involving fatalities):  2 reports  (3% of the total)  

 

“Substantial” damage:  16 reports   (22% of the total)    

Aircraft “destroyed”:     16 reports   (22% of the total)    

 

Recent registration (within previous 12 months):   18 reports   (25% of the total)    

 

(Note: FAA preliminary reports no longer identify the purpose of the flight involved in mishap.  Consequently the number and percentage of Beech mishaps that occur during dual instruction will become less and less accurate over time.  Since the late 1990s the percentage of Beech mishaps that take place during dual flight instruction has remained very consistently about 10%). 

 

 

By Aircraft Type:

 

Be35 Bonanza   19 reports 

Be55 Baron   14 reports      

Be58 Baron    11 reports

Be36 Bonanza   8 reports

Be33 Debonair/Bonanza   6 reports 

Be24 Sierra  4 reports   

Be23 Musketeer/Sundowner  3 reports

Be18 Twin Beech  2 reports

Be95 Travel Air   2 reports    

Be50 Twin Bonanza  1 report

Be65 Queen Air  1 report 

Be76 Duchess    1 report  

 

 

 

PRELIMINARY DETERMINATION OF CAUSE (all subject to update per NTSB findings):

 

LANDING GEAR-RELATED MISHAPS (29 reports; 40% of the total)) 

 

Gear collapse (landing)

14 reports (two Be24s; two Be33s; Be35; two Be36s; four Be55s; Be58; Be65; Be95)

 

Gear up landing

10 reports (two Be33s; three Be35s; two Be36s; two Be55s; Be76)

 

Gear collapse on landing—known mechanical system failure

2 reports (Be18; Be95)

 

Gear collapse on landing—tow bar attached

1 report (Be58)

 

Gear up landing (electrical failure)

1 report (Be24)

 

Gear collapse during taxi

1 report (Be35)

  

...for more on Landing Gear-Related Mishaps see these data and this commentary. 

 

 

IMPACT ON LANDING  (12 reports; 17% of the total) 

 

Loss of directional control on landing

2 reports (Be55; Be58)

 

Impact with obstacle on landing

2 reports (Be35; Be58)

 

Wingtip strike on landing—crosswind

1 report (Be36)

 

Loss of directional control on landing: wet/icy surface

1 report (Be58)

 

Hard landing

1 report (Be58)

 

Departed runway while avoiding objects on runway

1 report (Be23)

 

Landed long/failed to go around

1 report (Be23)

 

Landed short—probable wind shear

1 report (Be33)

 

Impact with obstacle—off airport landing

1 report (Be35)

 

Impact with animal while landing

1 report (Be35)

  

 

ENGINE FAILURE   (9 reports; 13% of the total)) 

 

Fuel starvation

3 reports (all Be35s)

 

Engine failure on takeoff

2 reports (Be35; Be55)

 

Fuel exhaustion

1 report (Be50)

 

Engine failure in flight

1 report (Be36)

 

Engine-driven fuel pump failure

1 report (Be35)

 

Pushrod tube failure in flight

1 report (Be33)

  

...for more on fuel management-related mishaps see www.thomaspturner.net/Fuel.htm. . 

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS CAUSES  (7 reports; 10% of the total) 

 

Taxied into obstruction/pedestrian/other aircraft

2 reports (both Be55)

 

In-flight collision with trees and terrain while maneuvering

1 report (Be58)

 

Struck by starting/taxiing aircraft

1 report (Be35)

 

In-flight electrical fire

1 report (Be58)

 

Fire/explosion on engine start

1 report (Be55)

 

In-flight break-up: low-altitude maneuvering

1 report (Be58)

 

Mid-air collision

1 report (Be35)

 

 

CAUSE UNKNOWN  (5 reports; 7% of the total)  

 

Approach/Unknown

3 reports (Be36; Be55; Be58)

 

Cruise/Unknown (mountainous terrain)

1 report (Be23)

 

Crash/Unknown

1 report (Be24)

 

 

LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT   (3 reports; 4% of the total) 

 

Loss of control—airframe ice; in-flight break-up

1 report (Be36)

 

Loss of control-- missed approach/icing conditions

1 report (Be18)

 

Loss of control—single engine missed approach in IMC

1 report (Be55)

 

 

IN-FLIGHT CONTROL VIBRATION/ FLUTTER/ SEPARATION  (2 reports; 3% of the total) 

 

In-flight vibration/flutter

1 report (Be35)

 

In-flight ruddervator separation

1 report (Be35)

 

 

IMPACT WITH OBJECT DURING TAKEOFF   (2 reports; 3% of the total) 

 

Impact with obstacle following takeoff/unable to attain climb

1 report (Be35)

 

Impact with object/animal during takeoff

1 report (Be58)

 

 

CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN   (1 report)

   

Descent below minimum altitude on approach—night IMC

1 report (Be36)

 

 

STALL/SPIN   (1 report)

 

Stall/Spin on takeoff

1 report (Be55)

 

  

 

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.  Fly safe, and have fun!

 

 

 

Thomas P. Turner, MCFI

Mastery Flight Training, Inc.

mastery.flight.training@cox.net

There's much more aviation safety information at www.thomaspturner.net .

 

 

 

 

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