# NTSB LAX98LA248: Beech C23, N18961, Avalon, CA, July 26, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 26, 1998, 13:10 local (20:10 UTC) - Place: Avalon, CA - Coordinates: 33.379783, -118.449111 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3798&lon=-118.4491&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 16, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 43558 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX98LA248 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/43558/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA248 ## Probable cause The failure of the pilot to maintain an adequate airspeed during the landing, which resulted in a stall/mush and hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - airspeed(vref) - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - stall/mush - encountered, pilot in command - Gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear - overload ## Analysis The pilot was on final approach for runway 22, with 15 degrees of flaps and 70-75 knots of airspeed. He intended to land about 200 feet beyond the runway numbers, but as he approached the numbers, the nose of the aircraft seemed to suddenly stop and begin to drop. He stated that before he was able of apply power, the aircraft hit the runway and the left main landing gear and nose wheel collapsed. The aircraft veered off to the left side of the runway. The winds were from 270 degrees at 12-15 knots. The pilot reported that he had not experienced any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the accident. ## Factual narrative On July 26, 1998, at 1310 hours Pacific daylight time, a Beech C23, N18961, landed hard and collapsed the landing gear at the Avalon, California, airport. The aircraft was destroyed, and the commercial pilot/owner and three passengers, the sole occupants, were not injured. The personal flight originated at the Temecula, California, airport, about 1100, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot reported that on final approach for runway 22, he set 15 degrees of flaps and maintained 70-75 knots of airspeed. He stated that his intention was to stay slightly high on the glide path and land about 200 feet beyond the runway numbers. The pilot reported that as he was approaching the numbers, the nose of the aircraft seemed to suddenly stop and begin to drop. He stated that before he was able to apply power, the aircraft hit the runway and the left main landing gear and nose wheel collapsed. The aircraft veered off to the left side of the runway. The pilot reported that the winds were from 270 degrees at 12-15 knots. He further reported that he had not experienced any mechanical malfunction with the aircraft prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N18961](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N18961-1998-11-05), registration cancelled 1998-11-05, S/N M1983 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Beech C23 - Registry model: [Beech C23](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-c23) (registry code 1151242) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: M-1983 - Airframe hours: 2583 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Brian Hagler - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, March 30, 1998, 28 hours before - Departed: CRQ, CARLSBAD, CA - Destination: AVX - Airport: AVX, Catalina, runway 22, 3,240 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 428 total, 240 in this make and model, 368 as pilot in command, 28 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 12 knots - Visibility: 20 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F - Observed at: AVX ## 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 19980726017609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980726017609A), Jul 26, 1998: Beech C23, Avalon, CA, Destroyed. On final to rwy 22 last 100 ft, acft dropped and hit hard, left main and nose wheel collapsed, acft pulled off to left side of rwy. (.4) on July 26, 1998, at… 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.