Beech 23 accident near Dothan, Alabama, May 18, 1991
On May 18, 1991 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N3549R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dothan, Alabama (Dothan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS OVERHEATED OPERATIONS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S INACCURATE APPROACH WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT SWERVE INTO THE FENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1991 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Dothan, Alabama · Dothan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N3549R · registry record · serial M722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON TAKEOFF DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AT ABOUT 800 FEET MSL. AIRPORT ELEVATION WAS 150 FEET. HE FLEW A CLOSE DOWNWIND LEG WHICH RESULTED IN OVERSHOOTING THE EXTENDED CENTER LINE WHEN HE TURNED ONTO FINAL. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED WITH THE LEFT WHEEL ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY & THE RIGHT WHEEL IN THE GRASS. THE AIRPLANE SWERVED RIGHT INTO A FENCE. ONE CLYINDER HEAD WAS FOUND BROKEN AWAY FROM THE CYLINDER BODY. THE CYLINDER HEAD SHOWED EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING & THERE WAS EXHAUST GAS IMPINGEMENT & BLACKENING OF THE FRACTURE SURFACE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 307 hours in all; 216 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,102 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 1990; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental I0-346-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PFN Panama City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 8,498 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:09 pm from DHN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.