Beech C23 accident near Tulare, California, April 26, 1998
On April 26, 1998 at about 4:11 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N9144S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tulare, California (Mefford Field). 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 malfunction of the nose wheel steering for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1998 · about 4:11 pm local time
- Place
- Tulare, California · Mefford Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N9144S · no longer on the register · serial M-1767
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing rollout, the airplane departed the runway laterally and impacted a ditch 75 to 100 feet off the side of the runway. The pilot stated that, after a minor directional correction to the right, the aircraft would not respond to left steering inputs until full rudder was applied. At that time the aircraft entered an abrupt swerve to the left and departed the runway. The aircraft was damaged to the extent that it was not possible to conduct a high speed taxi test to evaluate aircraft response to nosewheel steering commands.
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: 92 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 44 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,008 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 1998; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L45 Bakersfield CA at 3:25 pm
- Destination: TLR CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,914 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KVI, 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.