Beech A23-24 accident near Clearwater, Florida, February 4, 1989
On February 4, 1989 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Beech A23-24, registered N3697Q, was destroyed in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO THE CFI DEPLETING THE FUEL SUPPLY FROM ONE OF TWO TANKS AND FAILING TO SELECT THE FULLEST TANK FOR LANDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CFI'S IMPROPER DECISION TO TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT WHEN INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE WAS AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE MANEUVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1989 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23-24 · all A23-24s on the register
- Registration
- N3697Q · no longer on the register · serial MA-280
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON FINAL APCH AFTER A TRNG FLT, AN ACFT WAS STILL ON THE RWY, SO CFI TOLD 30 HR STUDENT PLT TO GO-ARND. POWER WAS APPLIED & WITNESSES ON GRND HEARD ENG REV UP OK. ABOUT 1/2 WAY DOWN RWY AT ABOUT 200 FT, THE ENG SPUTTERED & CFI TRIED A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO RWY. ACFT HIT FENCES AND CONST MATERIAL & BURST INTO FLAMES. FUEL SEL WAS FOUND OUT OF DETENT BUT ON LT TANK WHICH HOLDS 30 GALS, 26 GALS USABLE. THE ACFT BURNS ABOUT 8 GPH & HAD FLOWN FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 4 HRS SINCE TOPPED OFF TO 60 GALS CAPACITY. NO FUEL FOUND IN FUEL MANIFOLD & ENG WAS TEST RUN OK AFTER ACCIDENT. LT WING TANK AREA HAD LESS FIRE DAMAGE THAN RT WING AREA WHICH CONTAINED MORE FUEL. THE STU PLT RECALLED THE FUEL SEL BEING ON THE LT TANK; THE CFI SAID HE THOUGHT IT WAS ON THE RT TANK. THE CFI STATED THAT HE HAD NO RECOLLECTION AFTER THE ENG QUIT EXCEPT BEING IN A CHOPPER ON THE WAY TO A HOSPITAL.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 9,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,856 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1989; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CLW Clearwater FL at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from PIE, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.