Beech 23 accident near Humboldt, Tennessee, October 18, 2015
On October 18, 2015 at about 12:45 pm local time, a 1963 Beech 23, registered N2339J, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Humboldt, Tennessee (Humboldt Muni 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
A partial loss of engine power due to low No. 2 cylinder compression and an inoperative right magneto.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 2015 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Humboldt, Tennessee · Humboldt Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23, built 1963 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2339J · no longer on the register · serial M-285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot and flight instructor reported that ground operations were normal. During the initial climb, when the airplane was about 950 ft above ground level, the engine lost partial power. Unable to return to the departure airport, the flight instructor performed a forced landing in a field. During the landing roll, the nose gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 cylinder only produced minimal compression and that the intake valve would not seat fully due to carbon deposits. The No. 2 cylinder exhaust pipe flange was separated from the cylinder exhaust seat face by about 0.25 inch on the outer left side, and the stud was missing the nut and both washers. One of the spark plugs had lead deposits and produced a weak spark when tested. Also, the right magneto was inoperative; the permanent magnet breaker end bearing had failed, and six teeth were missing from the large distributor timing gear. The partial loss of engine power was likely the result of both the low No. 2 cylinder compression and an inoperative right magneto.
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 (partial) during takeoff 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 Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Damaged/degraded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Failure
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,340 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 5,200 as pilot in command; 783 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 8, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 25 hours in all; 19 in this make and model; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,096 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 2015; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,302 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 3,096 hours total
- Operator: Old School Aircraft LLC
The flight
- Departed from: M53 Humboldt TN at 12:45 pm
- Destination: M53 Humboldt TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 4,003 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.48 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KMKL, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.