Beech A23 accident near Beckwourth, California, February 14, 2017
On February 14, 2017 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1965 Beech A23, registered N425RS, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Beckwourth, California (Nervino airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s inadvertent use of the control yoke to correct for a drift and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 2017 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Beckwourth, California · Nervino · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23, built 1965 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N425RS · registry record · serial M-718
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that he had not flown for 45 days before the accident due to inclement weather. He added that, during the touch-and-go takeoff roll, the airplane drifted to the left. He further added that he attempted to correct for the drift by using the control yoke instead of the rudder. Subsequently, the airplane impacted a snow bank on the south side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and empennage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 takeoff defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › (general) › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 25 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,986.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: 4 Day Fliers LLC.
The flight
- Departed from: O02 Beckwourth CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: O02 Beckwourth CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,651 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Observation at 9:55 am from RAA, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 27, 2017. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | 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.