Beech C23 accident near Merrill, Wisconsin, July 27, 2022
On July 27, 2022 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1977 Beech C23, registered N2240L, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Merrill, Wisconsin (Merrill Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain adequate roll control during takeoff with a quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 27, 2022 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Merrill, Wisconsin · Merrill Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23, built 1977 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N2240L · no longer on the register · serial M-1888
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was conducting a zero-flap takeoff when shortly after liftoff the airplane entered an unintentional right roll that neither the student pilot nor his flight instructor could correct with full left aileron and left rudder input. The airplane continued to roll right until the right wingtip struck the ground. The nose landing gear and left main landing gear separated from the airplane during the hard landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to a fuselage longeron, the left side of the stabilator, and the right aileron. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Flight control cable continuity was confirmed for the ailerons, rudder, and stabilator. The aileron system exhibited binding due to impact-related damage to the right aileron. The airport’s weather station reported a calm wind condition about 5 minutes before the accident. However, the airport manager reported that the surface wind at the time of the accident was from the southwest at 16.5 knots, gusting 19 knots. A postaccident weather model for the airport included a west surface wind (277°) at 9 knots. Based on the wind model data, the airplane likely departed runway 7 with an 8 knot left quartering tailwind. The unintentional right roll was likely due to the student pilot not maintaining adequate roll control after liftoff.
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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 35,000 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 34,800 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 27, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 24 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,657 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 2022; 75.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 3,657 hours total
- Operator: De Plane LLC
The flight
- Departed from: RRL Merrill WI at 7:45 pm
- Destination: RRL Merrill WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 5,100 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from KRRL
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRRL 271955Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM -RA SCT032 BKN050 OVC095 20/15 A2982 RMK AO2 T01980153 TSNO=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on March 7, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accident Report ( Flight Instructor ) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Report ( Airplane Owner ) | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Statements ( Flight Instructor ) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Statements ( Student Pilot ) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Record of Conversation with Flight Instructor | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | NTSB Record of Conversation with FAA Inspector | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | NTSB Weather Summary | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Maintenance Logbooks (Excerpts) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 9 | NTSB Wreckage Release | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photos | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.