Beech 23 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, March 21, 1999
On March 21, 1999 at about 1:00 am local time, a Beech 23, registered N3621Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville Internationa airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR ATTACH POINTS DURING TAKEOFF FROM A TURF AIRSTRIP. FACTORS ARE ROUGH AND UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 1999 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville Internationa
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N3621Q · no longer on the register · serial MB-239
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo cross-country flight was planned with a refueling stop in Jacksonville. The student pilot reported that the departure runway surface at the departure airport was rough and uneven. Upon arriving in the Jacksonville area, the student pilot was cleared for an approach to and a landing on runway 07. The student pilot stated that during the first landing he heard a cracking or popping sound. The student pilot described the touchdown as normal. At this point he elected to go-around for another approach and landing. The pilot was cleared for another landing on runway 07, and as soon as the airplane touched down on the runway surface, it veered to the right. The airplane rotated 180 degrees in the center of the runway. The post-accident examination of the airplane disclosed that the nose gear attach point had failed. The visual examination of the fracture surface revealed typical overload deformation. Prior to this occurrence, no mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot. Reportedly, during the wreckage examination, a small amount of corrosion was also discovered on the nose gear attach point.
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: student
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 84A Cumming GA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: JIA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.