Beechcraft B23 N7621R
3 October 1988 · Scottsdale, Arizona, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 3 October 1988 at about 02:12 local time, a Beechcraft B23 registered N7621R was involved in an accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, United States. 5 people were on board and one died, 4 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 02:12
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Scottsdale, Arizona, United States
- Nearest airport
- Scottsdale (SDL)
- Coordinates
- 33.6100, -111.9396
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft B23
- Registration
- N7621R
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Sedona → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Bright
- NTSB number
- LAX89FA001
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S MISMANAGEMENT OF FUEL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE LIGHTING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PLT, 3 ADULT PAX & A SMALL CHILD WERE RTRNG TO THE ARPT AT NIGHT. THE PLT WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW 2 OTHER ACFT; HOWEVER HE ENTERED TRAFFIC INCORRECTLY AND WAS TOLD TO GO AROUND. AFTER TURNING TO A DOWNWIND LEG, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY (MAYDAY). HE MANEUVERED THE ACFT TOWARD THE ARPT, BUT BEFORE REACHING THE RWY, THE ACFT CRASHED IN A LEFT WING DOWN, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. IT CAME TO REST & BEGAN BURNING AFTER IT TRAVELED ABOUT 180' FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. ALL PAX EGRESSED FROM THE ACFT, BUT THE PLT COLLAPSED BEFORE HE ESCAPED. THE RIGHT WING & CABIN/COCKPIT AREAS WERE EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY FIRE. A POST ACDNT EXAMINATION OF THE ENG DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS CHECKED, IT WAS FOUND POSITIONED BETWEEN THE LEFT & RIGHT FUEL TANK SETTINGS. THE HANDLE FOR THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS NOT INDIVIDUALLY LIGHTED; ITS LIGHTING SOURCE WAS THE OVERHEAD CABIN LIGHTING. ONE PAX RPRTD HEARING THE SOUND OF A STALL WARNING HORN BEFORE IMPACT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft B23 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 1988 | Beechcraft B23 | Roanoke, Virginia, United States | Willis Skeen Associates | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jan 1988 | Beechcraft B23 | Hamer, Idaho, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 26 Dec 1988 | Beechcraft B23 | Jeffersonville, Indiana, United States | Resch, David P. | Fatal | 4 |
| 2 Aug 1988 | Beechcraft B23 | Cimarron, New Mexico, United States | Thomas Brooks Chartered | Fatal | 1 |
| 29 Sep 1989 | Beechcraft B23 | Hatteras, North Carolina, United States | Dare East Air | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Dec 1987 | Beechcraft B23 | Crossville, Tennessee, United States | Daniel L. Deats | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 Jul 1988 | Grumman G-164B | Chandler, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Apr 1988 | Bellanca 8GCBC | Florence, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 13 Apr 1988 | Champion 7EC | Mayer, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Apr 1988 | Cessna 182D | Coolidge, Arizona, United States | Craigin, Robert K. | No injuries | - |
| 2 Oct 1988 | Cessna 150F | Payson, Arizona, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 2 Oct 1988 | Cessna 150M | Tucson, Arizona, United States | Gregery, George | No injuries | - |