Beech 58P accident near Columbus, Nebraska, October 20, 2001
On October 20, 2001 at about 1:20 pm local time, a Beech 58P, registered N701JK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Nebraska (Columbus Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The exceeded aircraft performance and inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the pilot in command. The lack of recent experience in aircraft by the pilot in command was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2001 · about 1:20 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Nebraska · Columbus Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58P · all 58Ps on the register
- Registration
- N701JK · registry record · serial TJ-200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed gear up between the departure runway and parallel taxiway during an aborted takeoff. The pilot reported that the left engine experienced a 30 percent loss of power, and the airplane did not seem to have enough power to sustain flight. The pilot did not have a current a biennial flight review and instrument proficiency check. The airplane's maximum takeoff weight for the accident make and model was 6,200 lbs. Postaccident weighing of the airplane and addition of passengers and baggage in the airplane revealed the accident flight to be in excess of its maximum takeoff weight by at least 500 lbs. The pilot rated passenger reported that there were no abnormal engine indications during the takeoff.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,495 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 9, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 11, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO520-WB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OLU Columbus NE at 1:20 pm
- Destination: GFK Grand Forks NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 5,681 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 pm from OLU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.