NYC07CA079

NTSB accident investigation · Beech C23 · Fredericksburg, VA · March 11, 2007

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
March 11, 2007, 15:45 local (19:45 UTC)
Place
Fredericksburg, VA
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N9150SBeech C23
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report May 29, 2007
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA/FSDO
FAA report
20070311003139A
Case key
65417

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's misjudgment of the airplane's speed and distance during the landing approach.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - flare/touchdown
Distance/speed - misjudgedPilot in commandCause
Landing gear,normal brake system - worn
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - ditch

Analysis

During the pilot's initial attempt to land the Beech C23 on a 2,999-foot long runway, the airplane was "too high and too hot," so he executed a go-around. After completing a circuit around the airport traffic pattern, the pilot descended to 500 feet on the final leg of the approach, and added "one notch" of flaps. About 1/4 mile from the runway, the pilot reduced engine power to idle, and crossed the runway threshold at 75 feet and 90 mph airspeed. The airplane touched down within the first 1,000 feet of the runway, bounced, and floated another 500 feet. The airplane touched down again around the mid-point of the runway. The pilot then applied the brakes, but the airplane was not slowing as he expected it to. With 500 feet of runway remaining, the pilot elected not to abort the landing and continued applying the brakes. The airplane then departed the runway end, encountered a ditch, and came to rest upright. Following the accident, while the airplane was being recovered, a mechanic commented to the pilot that the brakes looked "worn." The pilot stated that had he known this, he would not have flown the airplane. According to the airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook, the flaps down landing approach speed was 78 mph, and the flaps up speed was 92 mph.

Factual narrative

According to the pilot, during his initial attempt to land the Beech C23 on a 2,999-foot long runway, the airplane was "too high and too hot," so he executed a go-around. After completing a circuit around the airport traffic pattern, the pilot descended the airplane to 500 feet on the final leg of the approach, and added "one notch" of flaps. About 1/4 mile from the runway, the pilot reduced engine power to idle, and crossed the runway threshold at 75 feet and 90 mph airspeed. The airplane touched down within the first 1,000 feet of the runway, bounced, and floated another 500 feet. The airplane touched down again around the mid-point of the runway. The pilot then applied the brakes, but the airplane was not slowing as he expected. With 500 feet of runway remaining, the pilot elected not to abort the landing and continued applying the brakes. The airplane then departed the runway end, encountered a ditch, and came to rest upright. Following the accident, while the airplane was being recovered, a mechanic commented to the pilot that the brakes looked "worn." The pilot stated that had he known this, he would not have flown the airplane. According to the airplane's Pilot Operating Handbook, the flaps down landing approach speed was 78 mph, and the flaps up speed was 92 mph.

Aircraft

Registration
N9150S
Reported as
Beech C23
Category
Airplane
Serial number
M1771
Airframe hours
1,905
Engine
Lycoming O-360, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · April 1, 2006
Departed
W66 · Warrenton, VA
Destination
EZF · Fredericksburg, VA
Airport
EZF · Shannon Airport, runway 24, 2,999 × 100 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
64
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
April 1, 2006
Seat
Left
Flight hours
520 total · 215 in this make and model · 27 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
280° at 10 knots, gusting 14
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
66 °F, dew point 21 °F
Altimeter
30.23 inHg
Observed at
EZF

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.

Other investigations on N9150S · 2

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