# Accident 19980426007739A: Beech C23, Tulare, CA, April 26, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 26, 1998, 09:11 local time
- Place: Tulare, CA
- Airport: Mefford Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.1807° N, 119.3598° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1807&lon=-119.3598&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9144S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9144S-2014-12-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech C23 (registry code 1151242, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH C23
- Reported engine: LYC O360A4K
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 92 total, 9 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA142) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980426007739A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

OVER CORRECTED SWERVES ON LANDING ROLL. EXITED RUNWAY INTO A DITCH. (.4) DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY LATERALLY AND IMPACTED A DITCH 75 TO 100 FEET OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT, AFTER A MINOR DIRECTIONAL CORRECTION TO THE RIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT RESPOND TO LEFT STEERING INPUTS UNTIL FULL RUDDER WAS APPLIED.  AT THAT TIME THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED AN ABRUPT SWERVE TO THE LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY.                                                                    (-23) UPON LANDING ON RUNWAY 17 AT THE TULARE MEFFORD FIELD, MR. WARREN LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF HIS BEECHCRAFT SUNDOWNER AIRCRAFT, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED JUST TO THE LEFT OF CENTER LINE ON RUNWAY 17, ABOUT 500 FEET PAST THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS ROLLING OUT, HE CORRECTED THE AIRCRAFT DIRECTION TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO LINE UP DOWN THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE. UPON DOING SO, THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE RIGHT CONTINUING ALL THE WAY OVER TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. WHERE UPON HE CORRECTED TO THE LEFT AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT, CROSSED THE RUNWAY AT ABOUT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE, CONTINUED OUT THROUGH THE DIRT AND INTO A DITCH LOCATED ABOUT 200 FEET TO THE LEFT OF THE RUNWAY EDGE. INVESTIGATION AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, REVEALED TIRE MARKS FOR ABOUT 750 FEET, GOING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF CENTER LINE, TO THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RUNWAY AND BACK ACROSS THE RUNWAY AND INTO A DITCH. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE DITCH.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA142](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA142), Apr 26, 1998: Beech C23 (N9144S), Tulare, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The malfunction of the nose wheel steering for undetermined reasons.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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