Beech A23 24 accident near Grove Hill, Alabama, June 1, 2015
On June 1, 2015 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1967 Beech A23 24, registered N29JR, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Grove Hill, Alabama (Grove Hill Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because engine examination and testing did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2015 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grove Hill, Alabama · Grove Hill Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 24, built 1967 · all A23 24s on the register
- Registration
- N29JR · registry record · serial MA-235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the long cross-country flight, he stopped at an intermediate airport and added 30 gallons of fuel to the airplane. About 15 minutes after departure from that airport and while the airplane was cruising at 3,500 ft, the engine lost all power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine using the emergency procedures but was unsuccessful. He then chose a field for an emergency landing. During the landing on rough terrain, the nose landing gear collapsed. Examination of the wreckage revealed that each wing fuel tank was about half full, and fuel drained from the fuel sump did not contain any visible contamination. Subsequent engine examination revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions, and the engine was test run successfully.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,751 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command; 1,480 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,173 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 15, 2015; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-2B2N (piston); 3,065 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DYA Demopolis AL at 10:15 pm
- Destination: JKA Gulf Shores AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from GZH, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.