Beech A24R accident near Sarasota, Florida, August 2, 1989
On August 2, 1989 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Beech A24R, registered N24586, was destroyed in an accident near Sarasota, Florida (Sarasota-Bradenton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER HUB DUE TO PREVIOUS DAMAGE, WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSEQUENT FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE HUB; AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE PROPELLER HUB (AFTER THE PROPELLER STRIKES) WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1989 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · Sarasota-Bradenton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A24R · all A24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N24586 · no longer on the register · serial MC-131
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT CLIMB TO AN ALT OF ABOUT 500 TO 800 FT AGL AFTER TAKING OFF FROM RWY 32. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THEY HEARD A LOUD NOISE FM THE ACFT, THEN THEY NOTED THAT THE ENG SOUND HAD CEASED. THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO MANEUVER AS IF THE PLT WAS TRYING TO RETURN TO THE RWY. THE PLT TRANSMITTED A 'MAYDAY' REPORT, STATING HE HAD 'LOST THE ENGINE.' WHILE TURNING BACK TO THE RWY, THE LEFT WING & NOSE OF THE ACFT DROPPED & THE PLANE ENTERED A LEFT DSCNDG TURN. IT IMPACTED THE GND IN A NR FLAT ATTITUDE WHILE IN A HIGH RATE OF DSCNT, THEN IT SLID INTO A TREE & BURNED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED 1 PROP BLADE HAD SEPD FM THE HUB DRG FLT. A METALLURGICAL EXAM SHOWED THE HUB HAD FAILED FM FATIGUE. DRG THE PREVIOUS 87 HRS OF OPN, THE ACFT HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN TWO OCCURRENCES OF GEAR COLLAPSE, WHICH RESULTED IN PROP STRIKES WITH THE GND. ACCORDING TO RECORDS, THE HUB WAS INSPECTED & FOUND TO BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE MANUFACTURER (MCCAULEY) & THE FAA. THE PLT'S PREVIOUS FLT TIME IN THIS MAKE/MODEL OF ACFT WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,638 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 18, 1988; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: SUA Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 7,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from SRQ, 1 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.