Beech B-23 accident near Bagdad, Arizona, May 17, 2008
On May 17, 2008 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech B-23, registered N4026T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bagdad, Arizona (Bagdad Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions and failure to maintain runway alignment. Contributing factors were the gusty crosswind weather conditions and the rocky terrain adjacent to the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 2008 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bagdad, Arizona · Bagdad Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-23 · all B-23s on the register
- Registration
- N4026T · no longer on the register · serial M-1132
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he had just purchased the airplane in California and was returning to his home in Texas. He was in the landing flare when a gust of wind blew the airplane off the side of the runway. He attempted to go around, but the landing gear impacted some rocks on the left side of the runway. The outboard 10 feet of the right wing was wrinkled and compressed aft, and the bottom of the empennage was badly wrinkled and compromised. The airplane came to rest approximately 185 feet from the runway. The reported winds at Prescott, Arizona, located 37 nautical miles east of the accident airport, were from 350 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 17 knots.
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 in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,368 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TNP Twenty Nine Pal CA at 8:10 pm
- Destination: E51 Bagdad AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,575 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PRC, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| 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.