Beechcraft BE-76 N23823

Summary

On 31 October 2000 at about 00:24 local time, a Beechcraft BE-76 registered N23823 was involved in an accident near Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 October 2000 at 00:24

Classification

Accident

Location

Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Richard Lloyd Jones Jr (RVS)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft BE-76

Registration

N23823

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW01FA015

2 people died.

the instructor pilot's failure to maintain the airplane's minimum controllable airspeed during a single-engine go-around, which resulted in his loss of control of the airplane. Contributory factors were the engine fire, the pilot's failure to follow the emergency checklist and feather the propeller, and the partial failure of the landing gear indicating system, which resulted in the instructor's diverted attention.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instructor reported a right engine fire and requested a straight-in approach for a northbound runway. The wind at the time of the accident was from the south-southeast at 8 knots. At the time the pilot reported the engine fire to air traffic control, the aircraft was positioned approximately 4 miles north of another airport, and approximately 18 miles south of the pilot's intended landing airport. Numerous witnesses, located at the airport, stated that they observed the airplane flying fast on approach. The pilot reported to air traffic control that "the gear [was] not operating" and that he had to go-around. He added that "one of the lights [was] not coming on." The air traffic controller informed the pilot that the landing gear appeared to be down and cleared him to land on either runway at his discretion. The pilot stated that he was going to land on the opposite runway from his initial approach. The controllers and witnesses reported that the airplane initiated a climb, slowed, then started to roll over to the right and pitch nose down. The airplane impacted the ground and a fire erupted upon impact. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right propeller was not feathered and the landing gear were extended; however, the right main landing gear indicator light filament was found separated. The cause of the engine fire was not determined. According to the aircraft Pilot Operating Handbook, in the case of an engine fire in-flight, the pilot is to feather the affected engine's propeller and "land immediately." In addition, the instructions for a single-engine go-around require that the pilot retract the landing gear.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.