Beechcraft A23-24 N6945Q

Summary

On 10 December 2023 at about 16:19 local time, a Beechcraft A23-24 registered N6945Q was involved in an accident near Oklahoma City, 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

10 December 2023 at 16:19

Classification

Accident

Location

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Wiley Post Airport (PWA)

Coordinates

35.5489, -97.6490

Aircraft

Beechcraft A23-24

Registration

N6945Q

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Oklahoma City → Shawnee

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24FA057

2 people died.

A total loss of engine power due to multiple connecting rod failures from oil starvation associated with an extensive before takeoff oil system leak, the source of which could not be identified due to postaccident fire damage.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and his passenger were conducting a personal flight when, about 1.5 minutes after takeoff, the airplane entered a left turn back toward the airport. The pilot told the tower controller that he was returning to land because the engine was losing power and subsequently declared an emergency. During the pilot’s transmissions, the engine was heard in the background running roughly. The tower controller cleared the pilot to land on any runway and issued the current surface wind condition. Witnesses reported that the engine was running roughly and there was smoke trailing from the airplane. The airplane impacted a concrete rubble pile at a concrete recycling facility about 0.4 nautical mile (nm) from the runway threshold. An extensive postimpact fire thermally damaged most of the airplane. Postaccident examination of the pilot’s hangar revealed evidence of non-recent minor oil leaks often seen on hangar floors, and there was no evidence of an oil leak between the hangar and the asphalt taxiway. However, evidence of a significant oil leak and puddling was observed on the taxiway where the pilot likely started the airplane engine. The oil leak was consistent with the airplane being stationary for an extended period with the engine running. The nose landing gear subsequently deposited an easily discernible, dark black, oily tire track as the airplane began its taxi toward the runup pad and the runway. Additional evidence of a significant oil leak and puddling was observed on the runup pad where the pilot likely completed his before takeoff engine runup checks. Finally, evidence of an oil leak was observed where the airplane came to stop before the hold short lines for the departure runway. Based on the available evidence, the engine oil system likely began leaking shortly after the engine was started and continued during the taxi, before engine runup, takeoff, and climb portions of the flight. The pilot was likely unaware of the significant engine oil system leak before takeoff. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed evidence of multiple connecting rod separations due to a lack of oil lubrication. However, the extensive thermal damage to the engine and its oil system components precluded determination of the source of the oil leak. FAA toxicological testing of postmortem samples taken during the pilot’s autopsy detected multiple impairing substances. However, these impairing substances likely were administered during the pilot’s postaccident medical care and therefore did not cause any impairment at the time of the accident. Additionally, toxicological testing conducted on a hospital blood draw obtained from the pilot about 37 minutes after the accident did not detect any tested-for substances, which included ethanol, opiates, fentanyl, and benzodiazepines.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.