Beech 23 accident near Palatka, Florida, February 3, 1997
On February 3, 1997 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N2379L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palatka, Florida (Kay Larkin 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
failure of the nose gear for undetermined reason(s).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1997 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Palatka, Florida · Kay Larkin · map
- 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
- N2379L · no longer on the register · serial M-219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on a local flight, the pilot of Beech 23, N2379L, did a number of touch-and-go landings. On his final landing, he heard the pilot of another aircraft reported that they were also in the landing pattern. The pilot of N2379L decided to land long in order to be close to a taxiway, in consideration of the other aircraft. He made a flat touchdown, at which time, he heard a 'crack.' The pilot pulled back on the yoke, and the aircraft porpoised, then settled back to the runway. The nose gear collapsed, and the aircraft skidded off the side of the runway. A fire erupted from the wheel well, which was extinguished by a hand held fire extinguisher. The cause of the nose gear failure was not determined.
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: 800 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,714 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 20, 1996; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 28J at 3:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from SGJ, 28 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.