Socata TB20 N203AB

Summary

On 22 September 2007 at about 02:30 local time, a Socata TB20 registered N203AB was involved in an accident near Beatty, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 September 2007 at 02:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Beatty, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Beatty Airport (BTY)

Coordinates

36.8733, -116.7903

Aircraft

Socata TB20

Registration

N203AB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lovelock → Henderson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

SEA07LA270

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to follow the manufacturer's procedures during a go-around and subsequent loss of airplane control. A contributing factor to the accident was the dark night.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and passenger were on a cross-country flight. After night had fallen, they encountered deteriorating weather conditions, and diverted to an airport along their route of flight. During the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane entered an excessive descent rate, and the pilot initiated a go-around. As the pilot turned the airplane onto the downwind leg, the left wing impacted the ground. The pilot operating handbook for the airplane indicates that once a positive rate of climb is established, the landing gear should be retracted, as well as incremental flap retraction. Although the pilot believed that he retracted the flaps and landing gear, the cockpit selectors were both found in the extended position. The pilot had approximately 8 hours total night flight time, with 0.8-hour in the 30 days prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.