Beechcraft A36 N9379Q

Summary

On 29 September 2023 at about 19:15 local time, a Beechcraft A36 registered N9379Q was involved in an accident near Broken Bow, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were on board. One person on the ground also died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 September 2023 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Broken Bow, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Broken Bow Municipal Airport (90F)

Coordinates

34.0132, -94.7583

Aircraft

Beechcraft A36

Registration

N9379Q

Category

Airplane

Year built

1972

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

McKinney → Broken Bow

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN23LA423

Injuries not recorded.

The pilot’s failure to maintain the runway centerline during landing and subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the airport grounds worker during the landing roll. Contributing to the accident was the absence of a NOTAM for mowing operations at the time of the accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on approach to land, the pilot watched for tractors that were bailing hay. During the landing flare, the pilot saw an airport grounds worker mowing the grass next to the right side of the runway. He attempted to avoid the worker by pulling back on the control yoke. The airplane drifted to the right, touched down, and the right wing struck the worker, who was fatally injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The worker was mowing along the edge of runway, which was 50 ft. wide. The wingspan of the airplane was 33 ft 6 inches; therefore, the centerline of the airplane would have to have been at least 8 ft 3 inches to the right of the runway centerline to place the right wingtip directly over the runway edge. The pilot did not adequately compensate for the crosswind during landing, and the airplane was not aligned with the runway centerline during landing and landing roll, which resulted in the airplane striking the grounds worker. According to the airport manager, the worker was not scheduled to be mowing at the airport on the day of the accident, and he was unaware that she elected to begin mowing at the airport. He was also unaware that Notices to Airmen (NOTAM) should be issued, and no NOTAM had been issued for the mowing or hay bailing operations being conducted at the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.