Beech BE-60 accident near Addison, Texas, December 25, 2000
On December 25, 2000 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Beech BE-60, registered N53444, was substantially damaged in an accident near Addison, Texas (Addison airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudged flare of the airplane resulting from restricted forward visibility. Factors were the pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather conditions, the icing conditions, and the iced windshield.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 25, 2000 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Addison, Texas · Addison · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-60
- Registration
- N53444 · no longer on the register · serial P-36
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During short final on the instrument approach, ice accumulated on the windshield. The pilot requested and received clearance to circle for the landing. Following the circling approach, the multiengine airplane landed hard, exited the runway, and both main landing gear collapsed. The pilot had received a preflight weather briefing and filed an instrument flight plan. The weather observation at the destination airport: 3 miles visibility, mist, overcast 800 feet, temperature and dew point 32 degrees F., with the wind from 060 degrees at 15 knots. The private pilot's multiengine rating was limited to VFR only.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,668 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,599 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,053 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 2000; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,775 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-E1A4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GEU Glendale AZ at 6:35 pm
- Destination: ADS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 33, 7,202 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from ADS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.