Beechcraft 23 N8783M

Summary

On 3 October 2020 at about 17:15 local time, a Beechcraft 23 registered N8783M was involved in an accident near Spruce Pines, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one 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

3 October 2020 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Spruce Pines, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Avery County Airport (7A8)

Coordinates

35.9502, -81.9982

Aircraft

Beechcraft 23

Registration

N8783M

Category

Airplane

Year built

1964

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Falmouth → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA012

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to familiarize himself with the wind conditions at the destination airport and his failure to attain the proper touchdown point during landing, which resulted in a long, tailwind landing and subsequent runway overrun.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Before attempting to land on the 3,001-ft-long, asphalt runway, the pilot had been advised by personnel at the destination airport that landing toward the upsloping direction of the runway was preferred. The pilot did not check the wind direction prior to landing, and during the landing flare, the airplane did not slow down or descend. The pilot added full flaps, but the airplane continued to float and touched down with about 200 ft of remaining runway. Subsequently, the airplane overran the runway end, proceeded through the airport perimeter fence, traveled down an embankment, and came to rest on a road. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Following the accident, the pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and stated that he believed that a tailwind was likely present during the landing attempt.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.