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).
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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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 2023 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · Sundance · 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN23LA224.