# Accident 20170628009619A: Beech B23, Ocean Isle, NC, June 28, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 28, 2017, 19:10 local time
- Place: Ocean Isle, NC
- Airport: Odell Williamson Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.9075° N, 78.4467° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.9075&lon=-78.4467&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4023T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4023T-2018-06-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech B23 (registry code 1151240, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-b23) (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 B23
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 250 total, 60 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA17LA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA215) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170628009619A

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 28, 2017 APPROXIMATELY 1910 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH B23 EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE PERFORMANCE AFTER TAKEOFF FROM ODELL WILLIAMSON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT RUNWAY 24. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OF POWER SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO THE NORTH. AT THAT TIME THE PILOT DECIDED TO ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT AND MADE A LEFT BANK TURN. THE PILOT STATED BY THIS POINT IN THE FLIGHT THEY WERE AT ABOUT 500 FEET AND NEARLY AT A STALL. WHEN THE PILOT REALIZED THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT BACK TO THE AIRPORT, HE DECIDED TO PERFORM AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO A WOODED AREA TO AVOID THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ALONG THEIR ROUTE BACK TO THE AIRPORT. THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A TREE SEVERING HALF THE WING, WHICH WAS FOUND BELOW THE TREE APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET BEHIND THE FUSELAGE. THE FUSELAGE CRASHED INTO THE GROUND INVERTED. THE RIGHT WING WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET IN FRONT OF THE FUSELAGE. THE PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER WAS DIAGNOSED WITH FIVE BROKEN RIBS, BROKEN STERNUM AND A BROKEN TOOTH AT THE HOSPITAL SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. ON AUGUST 29, 2017 THE PILOT WAS GIVEN VERBAL COUNSELING BY AN FAA OPERATIONS AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR. THE ITEMS DISCUSSED DURING VERBAL COUNSELING WERE THE ALTITUDE REQUIRED TO MAKE A 180 DEGREE TURN TO BE ABLE TO LAND ON THE DEPARTURE RUNWAY, MEMORY ITEMS FROM THE AIRCRAFT POH/AFM FOR AN ENGINE FAILURE IN FLIGHT, THE IMPORTANCE OF SAMPLING THE FUEL FOR CONTAMINATION BEFORE EVERY FLIGHT, ESPECIALLY AFTER REFUELING, THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED HE UNDERSTOOD THESE ITEMS. THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF ENGINE PERFORMANCE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED AFTER MULTIPLE TESTS PERFORMED DURING THIS INVESTIGATION.

## 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 ERA17LA215](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17LA215), Jun 28, 2017: Beech B23 (N4023T), Ocean Isle Beach, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper positioning of the fuel selector between the left and right fuel tank positions, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to fuel starvation and a subsequent forced…

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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