Beech 23 accident near Cincinnati, Ohio, March 8, 2003
On March 8, 2003 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N6995Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cincinnati, Ohio (Blue Ash 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The second pilot's inadequate flare and the pilot/owner's lack of remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor was the wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2003 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cincinnati, Ohio · Blue Ash Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N6995Q · no longer on the register · serial M-1102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner was in the right seat, and the second pilot was at the controls, in the left seat. The airplane entered the traffic pattern, and during the approach, the second pilot added two notches of flaps, and maintained an approach speed of 80 mph as the airplane crossed the threshold for runway 24. About 20 feet above the ground, the second pilot initiated a flare, and the airplane "dropped straight down," and impacted the runway. The pilots did not obtain a weather briefing or check winds reported on the field, but estimated that they were from 220 degrees at 10-15, gusting to about 20 knots. The second pilot also noted that "turbulent wind" was on the final approach. The pilot/owner reported 138 hours of flight experience and 43 hours in make and model, while the second pilot reported 70 hours of flight time and 6 hours in make and model. The pilot/owner stated there were no mechanical anomalies with the 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 138 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 72 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 70 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 28 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,820 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2002; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 A2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFR Bedford IN at 5:15 pm
- Destination: ISZ Cincinnati OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,499 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from LUK, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.