Beech C23 accident near South Bend, Indiana, September 10, 2025
On September 10, 2025 at about 6:08 pm local time, a 1979 Beech C23, registered N997V, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near South Bend, Indiana (South Bend Intl 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during a go around which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the loss of directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2025 · about 6:08 pm local time
- Place
- South Bend, Indiana · South Bend Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23, built 1979 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N997V · no longer on the register · serial M-2234
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the initial climb, about 200 to 300 ft above the ground, the pilot’s side door became unlatched. The pilot decided to return to the airport and land to close the door. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot attempted to correct with left rudder input, but the airplane continued to the right. He initiated a go-around but was unable to gain sufficient airspeed. The airplane stalled and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. According to the pilot no mechanical failures or malfunctions were observed before the door opened during the initial climb.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during initial climb
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 411 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 425 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 24, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,060 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,625 as pilot in command; 1,716 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 3, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,962.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 7, 2025; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 1,962 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BSN South Bend IN at 6:02 pm
- Destination: OEB Coldwater MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09R/, 8,412 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from KSBN
Weather report (METAR): KSBN 101754Z AUTO 17003KT 10SM CLR 25/08 A3017 RMK AO2 SLP214 6//// T02500083 10256 20139 58002=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 CEN25LA382.