Beech A23-24 accident near Wheatland, Wyoming, August 4, 1999
On August 4, 1999 at about 2:30 am local time, a Beech A23-24, registered N4789J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wheatland, Wyoming (Phifer 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the aircraft. Factors were inadequate supervision of the student by the flight instructor and inaccurate judgment by the flight instructor in not having the aircraft examined following the event.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1999 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Wheatland, Wyoming · Phifer · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23-24 · all A23-24s on the register
- Registration
- N4789J · registry record · serial MA-209
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a practice landing on a night instructional flight, a hard landing occurred. The flight instructor examined the damage (wrinkles on the upper wing surfaces) and decided they were 'cosmetic'. An FAA inspector, on a routine inspection, discovered the damage 10 months following the accident. Two repair stations provided information that the wings would either have to be replaced or undergo extensive structural repairs. The aircraft had been flown at least 20 times following the accident flight.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EAN at 2:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 5,900 ft by 70 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.