Beech C-23 accident near Mandan, North Dakota, June 26, 1999
On June 26, 1999 at about 2:30 am local time, a Beech C-23, registered N9703Q, was destroyed in an accident near Mandan, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot failed to maintain aircraft control on approach to the airport after encountering high winds, gusts, rain, and thunderstorms in the area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1999 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Mandan, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C-23 · all C-23s on the register
- Registration
- N9703Q · no longer on the register · serial M-1303
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
the flight encountered moderate turbulence enroute to the destination airport and in the vicinity of the airport there were thunderstorms, turbulence, high winds, and heavy rain upon the aircraft's arrival. A witness who lives in the vicinity of the airport said the aircraft was pitching up and down and rolling left and right violently. The aircraft struck the ground before reaching the airport.
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: 1,100 hours in all; 230 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,791 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aberdeen Flying Club, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: ABR Aberdeen SD
- Destination: Y19
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.44 inHg
- Observation at 2:25 am from BIS, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.