Beech B23 accident near Scottsdale, Arizona, October 3, 1988
On October 3, 1988 at about 2:12 am local time, a Beech B23, registered N7621R, was destroyed in an accident near Scottsdale, Arizona (Scottsdale airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISMANAGEMENT OF FUEL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE LIGHTING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1988 · about 2:12 am local time
- Place
- Scottsdale, Arizona · Scottsdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B23 · all B23s on the register
- Registration
- N7621R · no longer on the register · serial M-1244
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT, 3 ADULT PAX & A SMALL CHILD WERE RTRNG TO THE ARPT AT NIGHT. THE PLT WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW 2 OTHER ACFT; HOWEVER HE ENTERED TRAFFIC INCORRECTLY AND WAS TOLD TO GO AROUND. AFTER TURNING TO A DOWNWIND LEG, THE ENG LOST POWER & THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY (MAYDAY). HE MANEUVERED THE ACFT TOWARD THE ARPT, BUT BEFORE REACHING THE RWY, THE ACFT CRASHED IN A LEFT WING DOWN, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. IT CAME TO REST & BEGAN BURNING AFTER IT TRAVELED ABOUT 180' FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. ALL PAX EGRESSED FROM THE ACFT, BUT THE PLT COLLAPSED BEFORE HE ESCAPED. THE RIGHT WING & CABIN/COCKPIT AREAS WERE EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED BY FIRE. A POST ACDNT EXAMINATION OF THE ENG DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES. WHEN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS CHECKED, IT WAS FOUND POSITIONED BETWEEN THE LEFT & RIGHT FUEL TANK SETTINGS. THE HANDLE FOR THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS NOT INDIVIDUALLY LIGHTED; ITS LIGHTING SOURCE WAS THE OVERHEAD CABIN LIGHTING. ONE PAX RPRTD HEARING THE SOUND OF A STALL WARNING HORN BEFORE IMPACT.
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: 91 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,532 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1988; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2G (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SEZ Sedona AZ at 1:07 am
- Destination: SDL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 8,251 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.