Beech A24R accident near Gulfport, Mississippi, June 4, 1989
On June 4, 1989 at about 3:43 pm local time, a Beech A24R, registered N9700Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gulfport, Mississippi. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF A #2 CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY, WHICH RESULTED IN SEPARATION OF THE #2 CYLINDER AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, THE TRANSMISSION (POWER) LINE, AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1989 · about 3:43 pm local time
- Place
- Gulfport, Mississippi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A24R · all A24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N9700Q · no longer on the register · serial MC-59
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING IN VFR CONDS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN, THE ENG FAILED & THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD. AS HE WAS MAKING AN APCH TO LAND, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE & A TREE. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THE #2 CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED & THE #2 CYLINDER HAD SUBSEQUENTLY SEPARATED. ACCORDING TO THE ACFT OWNER, THE ACFT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INVOLVED IN A SUDDEN ENG STOPPAGE AFTER THE NOSE GEAR HAD COLLAPSED. THE ENG WAS THEN OVERHAULED. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 15 HRS OF OPN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AGAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, A DIE PENETRANT CHECK & RUNOUT OF THE CRANKSHAFT FLANGE WAS MADE. ACCORDING TO THE ENG MANUFACTURER, THE INSTALLED CONNECTING RODS & BEARINGS DID NOT CONFORM TO LYCOMING SVC BULLETING #439, DATED 2/17/79. THE ACFT HAD BEEN OPERATED SOME 200 TO 300 HRS SINCE THE LAST ENG OVERHAUL (FOLLOWING THE 1ST GEAR COLLAPSE).
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 451 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 340 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Capital City Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PNS Pensacola FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: BTR Baton Rouge LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from GPT, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.