- Date
- March 14, 2008, 10:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Marble Canyon, AZ
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9374SBeech C23
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 30, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20080314012229A
- Case key
- 67685
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during the flare. Contributing to the accident were wind gusts and a crosswind.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that after overflying the airport, he decided to land on runway 21. He extended the wing flaps to the 25-degree position during the approach to landing. The pilot observed that the wind sock was about halfway extended, and he estimated that the wind was from 270 degrees at 20 knots, with gusts to 25 knots. During the landing flare, the crosswind suddenly decreased in intensity, and the airplane impacted hard onto the runway's surface. Thereafter, the airplane veered right and exited the runway. Inspection of the airframe revealed that the nosewheel and the left main landing gear separated from the airframe, the windshield cracked, and the vertical stabilizer was bent. The pilot did not indicate that he had experienced any mechanical malfunction or abnormality with his airplane prior to the mishap.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that after overflying the airport, he decided to land on runway 21. He extended the wing flaps to the 25-degree position during the approach to landing. The pilot observed that the wind sock was about halfway extended, and he estimated that the wind was from 270 degrees at 20 knots, with gusts to 25 knots. During the landing flare, the crosswind suddenly decreased in intensity, and the airplane impacted hard onto the runway's surface. Thereafter, the airplane veered right and exited the runway. Inspection of the airframe revealed that the nose wheel and the left main landing gear separated from the airframe, the windshield cracked, and the vertical stabilizer was bent. The pilot did not indicate that he had experienced any mechanical malfunction or abnormality with his airplane prior to the mishap.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9374S
- Reported as
- Beech C23
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- M-1672
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4K, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Russell L. Gardner
- Registered owner
- Arizona Thunderbolts, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- DVT · Deer Valley, AZ
- Destination
- L41 · Marble Canyon, AZ
- Airport
- L41 · Marble Canyon, runway 21, 3,715 × 35 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 241 total · 154 in this make and model · 17 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.