Beech B 55 accident near Statesville, North Carolina, November 17, 2017
On November 17, 2017 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1981 Beech B 55, registered N592SS, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Statesville, North Carolina (Statesville Rgnl 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 total loss of left engine power during initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane following the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2017 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · Statesville Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B 55 A, built 1981 · all B 55s on the register
- Registration
- N592SS · no longer on the register · serial TC2375
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a flight review with a flight instructor in the multiengine airplane when, during the initial climb following a touch-and-go landing, the airplane yawed to the left. The pilot noticed a change in engine sound and the airplane began to descend. The airplane bounced on the runway and collided with a ditch before skidding to a stop on the edge of the taxiway. The fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident. A postaccident examination and test run of the left engine revealed that it was capable of producing full power; however, when rapidly moving the throttle from idle to full power, a total loss of engine power would occur. The engine's timing was off by 3° from that specified by the engine data plate; testing of the fuel control revealed an excessively-rich mixture setting at lower power settings; and fuel was observed leaking from the fuel pump. It could not be determined which of these discrepancies, or combination thereof, contributed to the loss of engine power. Given this information, it is likely that the left engine lost power as the airplane transitioned to climb following the touch-and-go landing. The pilot then lost control of the airplane as it descended, bounced onto, and subsequently departed the runway.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Failure
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Engine out control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,834 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 2,705 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,120 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,531 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 2017; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO 470 L (21A (piston); 2,758 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO 470 L (8) (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SVH Statesville NC at 5:05 pm
- Destination: SVH Statesville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 5:05 pm from SVH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memoradum of Record Cmi | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 17 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Engine Test Report | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Engine Test Data | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.