Beech TC-45J accident near Verdel, Nebraska, July 19, 2009
On July 19, 2009, a Beech TC-45J, registered N6688, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Verdel, Nebraska (None airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to fly an airplane that was not airworthy and for which he was not properly rated to operate, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane during a forced landing to a field following an engine failure. Contributing to the accident was the failed cylinder connecting rod.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2009
- Place
- Verdel, Nebraska · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Beech TC-45J · all TC-45Js on the register
- Registration
- N6688 · no longer on the register · serial 29651
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot/owner and a passenger were transporting the pilot's multi-engine airplane to another airport so it could undergo an annual inspection. Shortly after departure, the right engine began to vibrate violently and the pilot elected to make a forced landing to a pasture. The airplane caught on fire and both radial engines separated from the airframe and sustained impact damage. The pilot was not rated by the FAA to operate multi-engine airplanes and he had not received any formal training in the airplane. The accident flight was his first time flying the airplane by himself. The airplane had not received an annual inspection in approximately 8 years prior to the accident. Examination of the right engine revealed extensive mechanical damage possibly due to a connecting rod failure.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during emergency descent
- Loss of control on ground during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Time limits › Not inspected
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W R-985 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W R-985 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Lynch NE
- Destination: Lynch NE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N6688 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09LA444.