Beech BE58 accident near Sedona, Arizona, July 24, 1989
On July 24, 1989, a Beech BE58, registered N7454N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona 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 IMPROPERLY LEANING THE FUEL MIXTURE OF THE LEFT ENGINE AND THE DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1989
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE58
- Registration
- N7454N · no longer on the register · serial TC-1123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM AN AIRPORT WITH A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 8,600'. HE LEANED THE ENGINES DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AND BELIEVES HE LEANED THE LEFT ENGINE EXCESSIVELY. THE LEFT ENGINE EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF POWER DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AND RAN OFF THE END INTO ROUGH TERRAIN.
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: 432 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,880 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEZ
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,142 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from PRC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.