Beech A36 accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, June 4, 2023
On June 4, 2023 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1970 Beech A36, registered N9169Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Sundance 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
A loss of engine power during approach for landing for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2023 · about 5:15 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Sundance · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A36, built 1970 · all A36s on the register
- Registration
- N9169Q · registry record · serial E-253
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he flew west of the departure airport and practiced several turns before returning to perform several landings. During the descent to the airport, he switched fuel tanks from the left to the right fuel tank. The left fuel tank indication was just above the yellow arc, and the right fuel tank indication was about 3/8 of a tank. While the airplane was on the base leg for landing, the engine began to run rough and sustained a loss of engine power. The pilot switched fuel tanks, turned the boost pump on, and tried the ignition, but he was unable to restore engine power. The pilot then performed a forced landing to a road about one mile south of the airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the horizonal stabilizer. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane fuel selector was in the left fuel tank position, the auxiliary fuel pump was on, and the mixture was full rich. The left and right fuel tanks contained about 10 gallons of fuel, which indicated in the yellow arc of both fuel gauges. A postaccident engine run was performed at engine speeds of 1,800 rpm and 2,300 rpm with the fuel selector positioned to the right fuel tank, and there were no anomalies that precluded engine operation. The fuel selector operated normally. The engine-driven pump, fuel control assembly, injector distributor valve, fuel injector lines, and fuel injectors were then removed for functional testing; no anomalies were noted.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Unknown or undetermined during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 173 in this make and model; 245 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 17,000 as pilot in command; 1,599 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 19, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,689.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 21, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-BB (piston); 5,845 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 12:15 pm from HSD, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident Site
Photograph 2 – Right Wing Damage
Photograph 3 – Post-Accident Examination Fuel Guage IndicationsThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 18, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Examination | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9169Q on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft A36 Bonanza 2,530 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-520-BB 44 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Sundance Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Oklahoma 1,300 since 1982 · 181 in the last ten years
- Oklahoma 5,655 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN23LA224.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.