What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 09/10/2025, at approximately 1418 EST, during a proficiency flight on a clear day with unlimited visibility, the pilot in charge (PIC) and passenger, a certified flight instructor (CFI), experienced an incident shortly after takeoff from runway 9R at ksbn. The flight was conducted under VFR conditions, and the aircraft, a Beechcraft C23, had been pre-flighted with a route programmed to koeb in the garmin 375 GPS unit. After obtaining ATIS and clearance, they taxied to the runway via taxiway November and alfa, and performed a pre-takeoff checklist, including an engine run-up. Upon reaching an altitude of 200-300 feet, the pilot's door unexpectedly opened. The PIC informed the tower of the situation and requested to return for a landing on runway 9R to secure the door. The tower prioritized their landing, and the PIC set up for a normal approach with one notch of flaps. During the flare, as the main gear touched down, the aircraft veered sharply to the right. Despite the pic's application of left rudder and full power for a go-around, the aircraft continued off the runway edge. It lifted slightly but stalled and crashed into the grass. Both the PIC and the CFI were uninjured, and the PIC promptly shut down the electrical and fuel systems. Emergency personnel responded within minutes. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the bottom fuselage, both landing gear, the left wing and wing tip, left wing flaps and ailerons, and the propeller.
As the FAA filed it
ON 09/10/2025, AT APPROXIMATELY 1418 EST, DURING A PROFICIENCY FLIGHT ON A CLEAR DAY WITH UNLIMITED VISIBILITY, THE PILOT IN CHARGE (PIC) AND PASSENGER, A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), EXPERIENCED AN INCIDENT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 9R AT KSBN. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER VFR CONDITIONS, AND THE AIRCRAFT, A BEECHCRAFT C23, HAD BEEN PRE-FLIGHTED WITH A ROUTE PROGRAMMED TO KOEB IN THE GARMIN 375 GPS UNIT. AFTER OBTAINING ATIS AND CLEARANCE, THEY TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY VIA TAXIWAY NOVEMBER AND ALFA, AND PERFORMED A PRE-TAKEOFF CHECKLIST, INCLUDING AN ENGINE RUN-UP. UPON REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 200-300 FEET, THE PILOT'S DOOR UNEXPECTEDLY OPENED. THE PIC INFORMED THE TOWER OF THE SITUATION AND REQUESTED TO RETURN FOR A LANDING ON RUNWAY 9R TO SECURE THE DOOR. THE TOWER PRIORITIZED THEIR LANDING, AND THE PIC SET UP FOR A NORMAL APPROACH WITH ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS. DURING THE FLARE, AS THE MAIN GEAR TOUCHED DOWN, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. DESPITE THE PIC'S APPLICATION OF LEFT RUDDER AND FULL POWER FOR A GO-AROUND, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE RUNWAY EDGE. IT LIFTED SLIGHTLY BUT STALLED AND CRASHED INTO THE GRASS. BOTH THE PIC AND THE CFI WERE UNINJURED, AND THE PIC PROMPTLY SHUT DOWN THE ELECTRICAL AND FUEL SYSTEMS. EMERGENCY PERSONNEL RESPONDED WITHIN MINUTES. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE BOTTOM FUSELAGE, BOTH LANDING GEAR, THE LEFT WING AND WING TIP, LEFT WING FLAPS AND AILERONS, AND THE PROPELLER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N997V · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.