19961207037519A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Beech A23 · Conway, AR · December 7, 1996

Date: December 7, 1996 · 12:30 local
Place: Conway, AR
Airport: Dennis F Cantrell Field Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3597R
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97LA056
Reported as: Beech A23
Fatal injuries: 0

N3597RRegistration cancelled May 1, 2013 · Beech A23S/N M-778 · Built 1965 Airframe modelBeech A23 Engine modelContinental IO-346 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Landing of runway. Crosswind gust lifted right wing, applied power too late, drifted left off runway, hit fence. (-23) on December 7, 1996, at 1230 CST, a Beechcraft BE-A23, N3597R, collided with a chain link fence while attempting a go-around at Dennis f. Cantrell field, Conway, AR, while the pilot was practicing crosswind landings. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a flight plan was not filed. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the private pilot was not injured. The pilot was practicing crosswind landings on runway 18 with a wind from the west. The pilot stated a stronger than usual "gust" raised the right wing, causing the airplane to drift away from the runway while it was airborne. He stated that he attempted a go-around, but struck a small tree. The airplane then settled into the chain link fence. The private pilot did not take corrective action soon enough.

As the FAA filed it

LANDING OF RUNWAY. CROSSWIND GUST LIFTED RIGHT WING, APPLIED POWER TOO LATE, DRIFTED LEFT OFF RUNWAY, HIT FENCE. (-23) ON DECEMBER 7, 1996, AT 1230 CST, A BEECHCRAFT BE-A23, N3597R, COLLIDED WITH A CHAIN LINK FENCE WHILE ATTEMPTING A GO-AROUND AT DENNIS F. CANTRELL FIELD, CONWAY, AR, WHILE THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING CROSSWIND LANDINGS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING CROSSWIND LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 18 WITH A WIND FROM THE WEST. THE PILOT STATED A STRONGER THAN USUAL "GUST" RAISED THE RIGHT WING, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO DRIFT AWAY FROM THE RUNWAY WHILE IT WAS AIRBORNE. HE STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND, BUT STRUCK A SMALL TREE. THE AIRPLANE THEN SETTLED INTO THE CHAIN LINK FENCE. THE PRIVATE PILOT DID NOT TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION SOON ENOUGH.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97LA056Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportConway, ARthe pilot's inadequate compensation for the crosswind during the landing, and his failure to remain clear of the tree during the attempted go-around. The crosswind and the proximity of the small tree were related factors.Dec 7, 1996 · Substantial damage