# NTSB ERA26LA279: Beech A23-24, N3661Q, Middlefield, OH, July 23, 2026

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: July 23, 2026, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place: Middlefield, OH
- Coordinates: 41.449615, -81.063038 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.4496&lon=-81.0630&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report October 8, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 203446
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA279
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/203446/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203446
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA279

## Probable cause

The flight instructor’s failure to maintain directional control during landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A23-24, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1151226), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech A23-24, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=1151226), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech A23-24, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=1151226), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Beech A23-24, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=1151226), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)

## Analysis

During an instructional flight, the flight instructor was demonstrating a landing. Upon touchdown, the flight instructor noticed that the airplane was right of centerline. He applied left rudder to realign the airplane with the centerline but overcorrected. The airplane veered sharply left, then he tried to correct with right rudder and the airplane veered sharply to the right. The airplane exited the runway surface and went through a ditch. The nose landing gear separated before the airplane slid through the grass and struck the concrete base of a tetrahedron. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage and wings. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3661Q](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N3661Q), registered now, S/N MA-251 (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-251
- Year built: 1967
- Airframe hours: 2085.3
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-A2B 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, June 18, 2026, 6 hours before
- Departed: 7G8, Middlefield, OH
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: 7G8, Geauga County, runway 29, 3,500 × 65 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Stall warning system, Video recording device, ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 5, 2026; seat: right; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 243 total, 142.4 as pilot in command, 5.9 in the last 90 days, 0.6 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours
- Student pilot; age 47; injuries: none; student; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review June 24, 2026; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 113.9 total, 56.6 in this make and model, 25.9 as pilot in command, 6.8 in the last 90 days, 6.8 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observed at: KPOV, 16 nm away
- METAR: METAR KPOV 231355Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT055 19/11 A3023 RMK AO2 T01890111

## 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 20260723009299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260723009299A), Jul 23, 2026: Beech A23-24, Middlefield, OH, Substantial damage. On 07/23/2025 the aircraft was performing take off and landings (touch and go) at 7G8. There were two pilots on board. Left seat a student pilot, right seat…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 8, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=203446. 2.7 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 328 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20860509&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20859585&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Plane%20Crash_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Student statement (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 197 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20989065&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Report%20N3661Q_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photographs (item 4, PDF, 6 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20900126&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photographs-Rel.pdf

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.

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