Beech C23 accident near Watertown, South Dakota, December 9, 2011
On December 9, 2011 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N6717K, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Watertown, South Dakota (Watertown Regional 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
A total loss of engine power during initial climb for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 2011 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Watertown, South Dakota · Watertown Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N6717K · registry record · serial M-2266
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that there were no anomalies with the engine operation during a before-takeoff engine check or when he applied power for takeoff. He stated that shortly after liftoff, about 50 to 100 feet above the runway, the engine suddenly lost power. He immediately performed a landing on the remaining runway. The airplane touched down hard and then bounced several times before the nose and right main landing gear collapsed. The accident engine demonstrated the ability to produce rated horsepower during a postaccident operational test run. A postaccident examination failed to reveal any anomalies that would have prevented normal engine operation. Additionally, there was no significant risk of carburetor ice accumulation at any engine power setting.
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 (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,144 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 22, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KATY Watertown SD at 9:30 pm
- Destination: KATY Watertown SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,899 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point -6°F (-21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KATY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.