# Accident 20250309003959A: Beech A36TC, Lititz, PA, March 9, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 9, 2025, 15:18 local time
- Place: Lititz, PA
- Airport: Lancaster
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.1205° N, 76.2990° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.1205&lon=-76.2990&mi=10
- Aircraft: N347M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N347M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech A36TC (registry code 1151603, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a36tc) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250 series (registry code 03014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH A36TC
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250 SERIES
- People aboard: 5
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 5
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 555 total, 70 in this make and model, 58 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA25LA137](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA137) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250309003959A

## Narrative

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

ON MARCH 09, 2025, AT 15:18 LCL THE PIC DEPARTED LANCASTER PA AIRPORT (KLNS) RUNWAY 26 ON A PLANNED FLIGHT TO SPRINGFIELD OH (KSGH). UPON ROTATION AND LIFTOFF THE RIGHT FRONT DOOR POPPED OPEN. THE PIC RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR AND CALLED THE CONTROL TOWER TO REQUEST A RETURN TO LAND DUE TO THE DOOR BEING OPEN. THE CONTROL TOWER CLEARED THE PIC TO LAND ON ANY AVAILABLE RUNWAY. THE PIC REPLIED, "I WILL MAKE A DOWNWIND AND LAND ON RUNWAY 26". THE PIC STARTED A LEFT CROSSWIND TURN AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 200' AGL. VIDEO FOOTAGE FROM A NEARBY BUILDING SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT IN A SLOW NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFTS RIGHT WING DROPPED FOLLOWED BY A LEFT WING DROP IN A STEEP DECENT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED TREE TOPS AND SMALLER TREES BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT SLID INTO A PARKING LOT STRIKING SEVERAL PARKED CARS AND ERUPTED IN FLAMES. THE 5 PERSONS ON BOARD WERE ABLE TO ESCAPE THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT AND SEVERAL CARS WERE CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE PIC AND ONE PASSENGER WERE CRITICALLY INJURED, THE OTHER THREE PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES.

## 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 ERA25LA137](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA137), Mar 9, 2025: Beech A36TC (N347M), Lititz, PA, destroyed. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed after takeoff due to his distraction by the opening of the cabin door, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and…

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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