Beechcraft 23 N8868M

Summary

On 5 July 2020 at about 17:30 local time, a Beechcraft 23 registered N8868M was involved in an accident near Sedona, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 July 2020 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sedona, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Sedona (SEZ)

Coordinates

34.8639, -111.7919

Aircraft

Beechcraft 23

Registration

N8868M

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

Sedona → Chandler

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR20CA205

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inability to maintain a climb after an attempted takeoff in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in a forced landing on a road and subsequent landing gear collapse.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was departing from an airport where the density altitude was 7,700 feet. While departing with a slight left quartering, the airplane lifted off from the runway near the mid field point and began slowly climbing. Crossing the end of the runway, the airplane yawed and then began to lose altitude. After the airplane exited the airport boundary, which was on a plateau, it continued to lose altitude and descended down the sloped terrain. Unable to gain airspeed or maintain altitude, the pilot initiated a forced landing to a road. During the landing, the right main and nose landing gear collapsed. The right wing and lower fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.