Beechcraft 23 N8704M

Summary

On 2 July 2016 at about 00:12 local time, a Beechcraft 23 registered N8704M was involved in an accident near Maryville, Missouri, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 2016 at 00:12

Classification

Accident

Location

Maryville, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Rankin (78Y)

Coordinates

40.3317, -94.8347

Aircraft

Beechcraft 23

Registration

N8704M

Category

Airplane

Year built

1963

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Centerville → Marryville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA16CA357

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to see and avoid power lines on approach during landing, resulting a power line strike, uncontrolled descent, and collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that on final approach to runway 17, he was "distracted" by the runway composition and dimensions. The pilot reported that he identified the high tension power lines just before impact. He recalled that when he saw the power lines he "pulled up" in an attempt to climb, however it was too late, the propeller and engine cowl struck the power lines and the airplane slid down the power line wires toward the ground and came to rest in a corn field. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage aft of the cabin, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies with any portion of the airplane during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operations. The Airport/Facility Directory states the dimensions and composition of the runway, displaced threshold and the high tension power lines as: The first 630 feet of the runway is gravel and turf, and the width is 60 feet. The next 1300 feet of runway is a 14 foot wide section of concrete with 18 feet of turf on both sides of the concrete. The final 1120 feet of runway is a 12 to 25 foot wide section of gravel and asphalt chips, with 12.5 to17.5 feet of turf on both sides of the gravel and asphalt chips. The displaced threshold is marked with 5 tires on each side of the runway. High tension power line wires are about 1200 feet north of the runway threshold and do not have any safety markings. The power lines that the airplane struck intersect and cross the approach end of runway 17 at approximately 30 degrees. Furthermore, the power lines are depicted on the FAA Aeronautical Chart for the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.