Beech 58 accident near Gaylord, Michigan, May 22, 2001
On May 22, 2001 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N23AM, was destroyed in an accident near Gaylord, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not maintaining directional control during the reported loss of number one engine power during initial climb and the pilot not following the airplane emergency procedure's corrective action for engine failure after lift-off, and the inadvertent stall/spin he encountered. Factors were the high grass on the runway, the runway grass cutting maintenance not being performed by the pilot/airstrip owner, and the unsuitable terrain used by the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 2001 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gaylord, Michigan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N23AM · registry record · serial TH-1497
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed on impact with terrain following an in-flight loss of control following a reported loss of engine power during initial climb on takeoff. The pilot was uninjured. The passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated, "Within seconds of rotation I perceived an abrupt hard yaw to the left with near simultaneous rolling of the right wing up and activation of stall warning horn. I reflexly applied hard right rudder [and] [aileron] [and] pushed the nose down which partial reduced the yaw [and] roll. We continued to rotate in a spin with the left wing tip striking the ground [and] spun tail first into the ground. The entire incident from perception of yaw to ground strike occurred in a matter of a second or two." The pilot stated he had a "power loss [left] engine." FAA inspectors performed an on-scene examination of the wreckage. An inspector stated, "... I immediately noticed the grass had not been mowed and the approximate length of the grass was 16" to 18" high. ... The landing gear collapsed during impact, left and right wings were twisted and bent. The left and right engines broke free from the mounts, and the aft fuselage section including the empennage completely separated from the forward section (just aft of the aft facing seats) and came to rest on the top inboard section of the left wing and engine. I was unable to determine any anomalies." The left engine was test run and it produced rated power. The Beech 58 manual's emergency procedures section stated, " Where practicable, the emergencies requiring immediate corrective action are treated in check list form for easy reference and familiarization. Other situations, in which more time is usually permitted to decide on and execute a plan of action, are discussed at some length. ... ENGINE FAILURE AFTER LIFT-OFF AND IN FLIGHT ... The most important aspect of engine failure is the necessity to maintain lateral and directional control. ... An immediate landing is advisable regardless of take-off weight. ..."
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 784 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 702 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 14, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,651 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 2000; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-550-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-550-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gaylord MI at 11:45 pm
- Destination: 5D3 Owosso MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from GLR, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 CHI01LA140.