Beech C23 accident near Elizabethtown, North Carolina, February 1, 2024
On February 1, 2024 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1979 Beech C23, registered N6015U, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Elizabethtown, North Carolina (Curtis L Brown JR Fld airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a runway excursion, right main landing gear collapse, and a collision with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 2024 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Elizabethtown, North Carolina · Curtis L Brown JR Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 NO SERIES, built 1979 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N6015U · registry record · serial M-2135
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported following a cross-country flight he entered the traffic pattern for landing and noticed a left crosswind about 8 knots. He described the approach as normal, however; the touchdown was to the right of the centerline and the nosed yawed to the right during the roll out. The pilot attempted to maintain directional control with rudder application, but the airplane continued to veer off the runway to the right into a ditch and the right main landing gear collapsed. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector observed no anomalies with flight control continuity during a postaccident examination of the airplane. The stabilator sustained substantial damage.
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 control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SOP Pinehurst NC at 4:33 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15/3, 5,006 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 12:10 pm from EYF
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEYF 011710Z AUTO 22004KT 10SM CLR 12/03 A3013 RMK AO2 T01150030=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA24LA107.