# Accident 20240316002659A: Beech A23-24, Friedens, PA, March 16, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 16, 2024, 15:02 local time
- Place: Friedens, PA
- Airport: Somerset County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0385° N, 79.0153° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0385&lon=-79.0153&mi=10
- Aircraft: N200AG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N200AG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A23-24 (registry code 1151226, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a23-24) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A23-24
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,100 total, 20 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA146) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240316002659A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 16, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 1438 HOURS LOCAL TIME, A FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED TO ALLOW A STUDENT PILOT TO REGAIN HIS NINETY (90) DAY SOLO CURRENCY. THE STUDENT PILOT AND CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) CONDUCTED PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND A WEIGHT BALANCE BEFORE DEPARTING IN THE AIRCRAFT. WEATHER AT PREFLIGHT PLANNING WAS: 290011KT, 10SM, CLR, 00/M08, A2994, AND RMKA02 (REPORTED BY METAR/ASOS ON FIELD). BOTH PILOTS REPORTED A NORMAL TAKEOFF. BEFORE INITIATING THE APPROACH TO RUNWAY 25, THE PILOTS CONDUCTED AIRCRAFT MANEUVERING AROUND A LOCAL LAKE (APPROXIMATELY 6.26 NM EAST OF THE FIELD). AFTER THE VFR MANEUVERING, A VFR APPROACH WAS MADE TO RUNWAY 25. BEFORE THE APPROACH, STUDENT PILOT AND CFI AGREED TO CONDUCT A NO-FLAP LANDING TO RUNWAY 25. PER THE STUDENT PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT LANDED ON THE NOSE WHEEL FIRST UPON LANDING, THEN BALLOONED AND DRIFTED RIGHT OVER THE GRASS BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND TAXI WAY (ALPHA). THE CFI STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE REAR LANDING GEAR FIRST AND DESCRIBED THE APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY AS “FLAT.” ONCE THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED RIGHT, THE CFI GOT ON THE CONTROLS WITH THE STUDENT PILOT, AND BOTH APPLIED FULL THROTTLE AND TRIED TO TAKEOFF AND STEER THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT ABLE TO GAIN LIFT TO SAFELY TAKEOFF NOR TO BE MANEUVERED BACK TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING THE LEFT LANDING GEAR AND LEFT FLAP TO BE TORN OFF. BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST IN THE INFIELD AREA BETWEEN THE TAXI WAY AND RUNWAY, IT STRUCK A TAXI WAY SIGN AND APPROXIMATELY THREE TAXI WAY LIGHTS. WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE REPORTED AS 28008 KT. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE 10SM, SCT110, 01/M09, A2990, RMK A02 (REPORTED BY METAR/ASOS). FLIGHT WAS COMPLETED AT APPROXIMATELY AT 15:02 HOURS LOCAL TIME. AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING, LEFT AILERON, LEFT WINGTIP, AND RIGHT ELEVATOR. DAMAGE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE SUBSTANTIAL (NTSB). FLIGHT APPEARED TO BE FOLLOWING AND IN COMPLIANCE WITH ALL 14 CFR PART 91 AND 14 CFR PART 61 REGULATIONS.

## 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 ERA24LA146](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA146), Mar 16, 2024: Beech A23 24 (N200AG), Somerset, PA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control, and the flight instructor’s lack of remedial action during a landing attempt in a gusty wind, which resulted in a loss of directional…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.