Beechcraft A23-24 N3697Q
4 February 1989 · Clearwater, Florida, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 4 February 1989 at about 16:30 local time, a Beechcraft A23-24 registered N3697Q was involved in an accident near Clearwater, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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 16:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Clearwater, Florida, United States
- Nearest airport
- Clearwater (CLW)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft A23-24
- Registration
- N3697Q
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Clearwater → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- MIA89FA078
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE CFI DEPLETING THE FUEL SUPPLY FROM ONE OF TWO TANKS AND FAILING TO SELECT THE FULLEST TANK FOR LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CFI'S IMPROPER DECISION TO TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT WHEN INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE WAS AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE MANEUVER.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
ON FINAL APCH AFTER A TRNG FLT, AN ACFT WAS STILL ON THE RWY, SO CFI TOLD 30 HR STUDENT PLT TO GO-ARND. POWER WAS APPLIED & WITNESSES ON GRND HEARD ENG REV UP OK. ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN RWY AT ABOUT 200 FT, THE ENG SPUTTERED & CFI TRIED A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO RWY. ACFT HIT FENCES AND CONST MATERIAL & BURST INTO FLAMES. FUEL SEL WAS FOUND OUT OF DETENT BUT ON LT TANK WHICH HOLDS 30 GALS, 26 GALS USABLE. THE ACFT BURNS ABOUT 8 GPH & HAD FLOWN FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 4 HRS SINCE TOPPED OFF TO 60 GALS CAPACITY. NO FUEL FOUND IN FUEL MANIFOLD & ENG WAS TEST RUN OK AFTER ACCIDENT. LT WING TANK AREA HAD LESS FIRE DAMAGE THAN RT WING AREA WHICH CONTAINED MORE FUEL. THE STU PLT RECALLED THE FUEL SEL BEING ON THE LT TANK; THE CFI SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS ON THE RT TANK. THE CFI STATED THAT HE HAD NO RECOLLECTION AFTER THE ENG QUIT EXCEPT BEING IN A CHOPPER ON THE WAY TO A HOSPITAL.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Beechcraft A23 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Aug 1989 | Beechcraft A23-19 | Gallatin, Tennessee, United States | Shirley Brown | Serious injuries | - |
| 31 Aug 1989 | Beechcraft A23-19 | Hertford, North Carolina, United States | Davis, Richard L. | No injuries | - |
| 8 Apr 1989 | Beechcraft A23 | Lakeland, Florida, United States | Floyd Clyde L | Minor injuries | - |
| 18 Nov 1989 | Beechcraft A23 | Reedley, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 Apr 1990 | Beechcraft A23-19 | Apple Valley, California, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 1988 | Beechcraft A23 | Davenport, Iowa, United States | Erickson Lane M. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Mar 1989 | Cessna 172H | Melbourne, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 23 Mar 1989 | Piper AEROSTAR 600 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | Top Flight Air Service | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Mar 1989 | Bellanca 7KCAB | Daytona Bch Shr, Florida, United States | Aerial Messages, Inc. | Fatal | 1 |
| 8 Apr 1989 | Beechcraft C-45H | Tampa, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 16 Apr 1989 | Coutz QUICKIE Q-2 | Lake City, Florida, United States | Rowe, Reardon L. | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Apr 1989 | Cessna 150M | Miramar, Florida, United States | Tursair, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |