Beech 23 accident near West Bend, Wisconsin, August 6, 2001
On August 6, 2001 at about 1:39 am local time, a Beech 23, registered N2367J, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Bend, Wisconsin (West Bend Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot not following the aircraft fuel management procedures. Factors were the fuel starvation, the low altitude, the manufacturers service instruction not complied with, and the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 2001 · about 1:39 am local time
- Place
- West Bend, Wisconsin · West Bend Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2367J · no longer on the register · serial M-325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane lost engine power during the takeoff portion of a touch and go and subsequently impacted a tree and the ground before coming to rest. A postaccident examination showed that the left wing fuel tank was compromised and the right wing fuel tank was intact. Fuel could not be seen in the right fuel tank by visual inspection through the fuel filler opening. Fuel was found in the carburetor fuel bowl. The fuel selector valve was found with the selector positioned for the right wing fuel tank. Four gallons of fuel was added to the right wing fuel tank and an engine run performed. The engine was run from idle to 1,500 RPM and no anomalies were noted. No anomalies were found that could be associated with a preexisting condition. The pilot stated that he began the flight with 10 gallons of fuel in each wing tank and he indicated, in his written report, that there were 20 gallons of fuel on board at the last takeoff. The "Pilot's Operating Handbook and FAA Approved Airplane Flight Manual" for the aircraft states, "Do not take off when the Fuel Quantity Gages indicate in the *Yellow Band or with less than 11 gallons in each main tank." It was found during the postaccident examination of the aircraft that the fuel quantity gages were not marked with yellow bands.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 130 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,415 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 18, 2001; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ETB West Bend WI at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,898 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from ETB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.