# Accident 20240101000419A: Beech C23, Mansfield, LA, January 1, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 1, 2024, 15:40 local time
- Place: Mansfield, LA
- Airport: C E 'Rusty' Williams
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.0741° N, 93.7654° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.0741&lon=-93.7654&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9729L, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9729L) (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: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 200 total, 15 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN24LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA075) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240101000419A

## Narrative

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

AT ABOUT 1418CST, A PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER TOOK OFF FROM SHREVEPORT DOWNTOWN AIRPORT (DTN) ON A CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT ON BOARD A BEECHCRAFT MUSKETEER BE23 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SN M-1356.  THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR.  AFTER 30 MINUTES OF FLYING, THE AIRCRAFT ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT THE MANSFIELD REGIONAL AIRPORT(3F3).  THE PILOT SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT THE WEATHER WAS CLEAR, VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) AND THE FIRST 30 MINUTES OF THE FLIGHT WERE UNEVENTFUL.  THE PILOT INDICATED THAT UPON TOUCHDOWN AT 3F3, THE NOSEWHEEL COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SLID NOSE DOWN APPROXIMATELY 100 YARDS DOWN THE RUNWAY.  ONCE STOPPED, THE PILOT REPORTED LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW FLAMES EMANATING FROM BENEATH THE COCKPIT AND EGRESSED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE WITH THE PASSENGER.  NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE POST-CRASH FIRE.  THE PASSENGER’S STATEMENT SUPPORTS THE PILOT’S ACCOUNT OF THE ACCIDENT.

THE FAA INSPECTOR IN CHARGE (IIC) OBTAINED VIDEO SURVEILLANCE FOOTAGE FROM THE AIRPORT MANAGER AT 3F3 WHICH THE VIDEO SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT APPEAR TO BOUNCE OFF THE GROUND AT LEAST 3 TIMES BEFORE IT APPEARS THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSES AND THE AIRCRAFT SLIDING ON THE BELLY OF THE AIRCRAFT TO A STOP.

THE FAA IIC INSPECTED THE REMAINING WRECKAGE.  THE PROPELLOR, ENGINE AND COWLINGS ALONG WITH THE NOSE LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY DID NOT SUSTAIN FIRE DAMAGE AND WAS ABLE TO BE EXAMINED.  THE NOSE GEAR, WHICH IS NON RETRACTABLE, WAS FOLDED TOWARDS THE BACK OF THE AIRPLANE WITH 2 OF THE SUPPORT TUBES BROKEN THE MAIN SUPPORT TUBES WERE BENT BACK TO ALLOW THE PIVOT POINT, CONNECTION PIVOT POINT THE NOSE WHEEL IS ALLOWED TO TURN WHILE THE AIRCRAFT IS ON THE GROUND WHICH IS ALSO CONNECTED BY CABLES TO THE TAIL RUDDER FOR DIRECTIONAL CONTROL IN THE AIR, CONTACT THE GROUND AND WORE ABOUT HALFWAY THRU DURING THE CRASH.  THE NOSE WHEEL WAS STILL ATTACHED BUT IT APPEARED FIRE DAMAGE BURNED MOST OF THE NOSE TIRE.  THE NOSE WHEEL SPUN FREELY.  THE CABIN AREA WAS CONSUMED BY THE POST-CRASH FIRE, THE WINGS AND MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE HEAVILY DAMAGED BY THE FIRE AND THE TAIL SECTION WAS ALSO HEAVILY DAMAGED BY THE FIRE.

## 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 CEN24LA075](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA075), Jan 1, 2024: Beech C23 (N9729L), Mansfield, LA, destroyed. Probable cause: The nose landing gear collapse and postimpact fire due to 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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