# Accident 20250910019489A: Beech C23, South Bend, IN, September 10, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 10, 2025, 14:18 local time
- Place: South Bend, IN
- Airport: South Bend International
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.7082° N, 86.3173° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.7082&lon=-86.3173&mi=10
- Aircraft: N997V, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N997V-2026-01-20) (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: 498 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA382](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA382) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250910019489A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 CEN25LA382](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA382), Sep 10, 2025: Beech C23 (N997V), South Bend, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go around which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the loss of directional control during the landing…

## Other reports on N997V (2)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19801126084999I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19801126084999I), Nov 26, 1980: Beech 23BEECH (N997V), Indianapolis, IN. Zd student pilot on second solo misused the brakes after landing.
- [Incident 19800309024109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800309024109I), Mar 9, 1980: Beech C23 (N997V), Indianapolis, IN. Student pilot leveled-off too late. Bounced and ran off side of runway.

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.