Beech 58 accident near Augusta, Georgia, February 23, 2020
On February 23, 2020 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1980 Beech 58, registered N60SH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Augusta, Georgia (Daniel Field). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to land and stop the airplane within the available runway, which resulted in a runway overrun. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot's inadvertent feathering of both propellers during approach to landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2020 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Augusta, Georgia · Daniel Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 P, built 1980 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N60SH · registry record · serial TJ-267
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the conclusion of a positioning flight for maintenance, the pilot of the twin-engine airplane joined the airport traffic pattern at the destination airport. During the landing flare, the pilot began pulling back on what he thought were the throttle levers, but was instead the propeller control levers, which he pulled into the feather position. When the propellers started feathering, he thought that he had lost power on both engines. He landed the airplane "long" on the remaining runway. It subsequently traveled off the end of the runway, through the airport perimeter security fence, crossed a roadway, and came to rest. During the runway overrun, the airplane was substantially damaged. After the accident, the pilot realized that he had been flying the twin-engine accident airplane like he typically flew his high performance single-engine airplane, and believed that was why he retarded the propeller control levers. Review of photographs provided by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector showed that unlike the pilot's high performance single-engine airplane, which had its throttle control located on the left side of the control console with the propeller control in the middle, the twin-engine accident airplane had its propeller control levers located on the left side of the control console and the throttle control levers in the middle. According to FAA Airworthiness records, the twin engine accident airplane was manufactured in 1980. Review of the twin-engine airplane manufacturer's technical information indicated that it was not until 1984 that the manufacturer changed the instrument panel layout and relocated the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls to industry-standard positions, similar to those in the pilot's high performance single-engine airplane.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Capability exceeded
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Propeller system › Propeller feather/reversing › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,484 hours in all; 580.7 in this make and model; 57.4 in the last 90 days; 7,311.7 as pilot in command; 3,061.6 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 16, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,873.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 22, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 5,650 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520-WB (piston); 2,866 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Parts & Products Inc
The flight
- Departed from: AGS Augusta GA at 7:05 pm
- Destination: DNL Augusta GA
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 11, 3,733 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from DNL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on September 2, 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements and Interview Summaries | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | BE58 and PA-32 Control Console Comparison | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Weather Reports and Records - Kdnl Metars | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo Array | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Daniel Field Airport (Kdnl) - Airport Diagram | 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.