Beech E-55 accident near Crystal, Minnesota, August 6, 2024
On August 6, 2024 at about 10:15 pm local time, a 1977 Beech E-55, registered N744T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Crystal, Minnesota (Crystal 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
The pilot’s improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2024 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal, Minnesota · Crystal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E-55, built 1977 · all E-55s on the register
- Registration
- N744T · registry record · serial TE-1096
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane experienced a hard landing after he became distracted by air traffic control instructions. Following the initial hard landing, the pilot executed a go-around and then landed uneventfully. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 47,000 hours in all; 3,400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,594.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-520-CB8B (piston); 515 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-520-C7B (piston); 51 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOZ London KY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14/3, 3,751 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KMIC
Weather report (METAR): KMIC 062253Z 07003KT 10SM CLR 24/11 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP194 T02440106
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 22, 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 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Requests to Pilot for Completed NTSB Aircraft Accident Report Form | PDF, 4 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.