# NTSB DEN00LA109: Beech A23-24, N4789J, Wheatland, WY, August 4, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 3, 1999, 20:30 local (Aug 4, 1999, 02:30 UTC) - Place: Wheatland, WY - Coordinates: 42.049877, -104.949272 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0499&lon=-104.9493&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 5, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49414 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA109 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49414/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA109 ## Probable cause The flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the aircraft. Factors were inadequate supervision of the student by the flight instructor and inaccurate judgment by the flight instructor in not having the aircraft examined following the event. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command(cfi) - wing - distorted - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) - judgment - inaccurate, pilot in command(cfi) (contributing factor) ## Analysis During a practice landing on a night instructional flight, a hard landing occurred. The flight instructor examined the damage (wrinkles on the upper wing surfaces) and decided they were 'cosmetic'. An FAA inspector, on a routine inspection, discovered the damage 10 months following the accident. Two repair stations provided information that the wings would either have to be replaced or undergo extensive structural repairs. The aircraft had been flown at least 20 times following the accident flight. ## Factual narrative On August 3, 1999, at 2030 mountain daylight time, a Beech A23-24, N4789J, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in a hard landing during an instructional flight at Wheatland, Wyoming. The certified flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The flight was a local flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91 and no flight plan was filed. Weather at the time was reported by the flight instructor to be bright night visual meteorological conditions. Damage to the aircraft was discovered on June 9, 2000, by an inspector from the Casper, Wyoming, Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Flight Standards Field Office (FSFO) during a routine inspection. Beegles Aircraft Services, Greeley, Colorado, and Flight Vehicles, Inc., Houston, Texas verified the extent of damage. According to these two repair stations, both wings required replacement or extensive structural repair. According to the flight instructor, the student pilot froze on the controls during flare for landing and he took control. The airplane landed hard and a go around was executed. Following the next landing, which was a full stop, inspection revealed wrinkles in the upper surfaces of both wings. The flight instructor said he thought the damage was "cosmetic" and the aircraft flew at least 20 times before the damage was discovered by the FAA inspector. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4789J](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4789J), registered now, S/N MA-209, built 1967 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech A23-24 - Registry model: [Beech A23-24](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-a23-24) (registry code 1151226) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming I0360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (registry code 41515, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: MA-209 - Engines: Lycoming IO360 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Larry G. Wright - Registered owner: Maurice Berger - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: EAN - Airport: EAN, Phifer, runway 8, 5,900 × 70 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 6,000 total, 100 in this make and model, 6,000 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/bright - Wind: calm - Visibility: 25 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19990803045109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990803045109A), Aug 3, 1999: Beech A2324, Wheatland, WY, No damage. (-23) Mr. Axford was being given night flying instruction by Mr. Wright in the traffic pattern at Wheatland, WY(ean) when the hard landing occurred. Mr. Wright… 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. --- 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.