Beech B19 accident near New Smyrna Bch, Florida, June 15, 1997
On June 15, 1997 at about 2:12 pm local time, a Beech B19, registered N59BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Smyrna Bch, Florida (New Smyrna Bch Municipal 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 private pilot's improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent collapse of the left main landing gear and the nose gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1997 · about 2:12 pm local time
- Place
- New Smyrna Bch, Florida · New Smyrna Bch Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N59BW · registry record · serial MB-508
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had inadvertently left the towbar attached to the nosewheel. During the initial climb after takeoff, he was informed that something was attached to his nosewheel. He continued to his destination airport. During arrival, the airplane touched down hard on the left main landing gear, the nose pitched down, and subsequently, the left main landing gear and nosewheel failed. The airplane then veered to the left, departed the runway, and the left wing was damaged.
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: 143 hours in all; 41 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,712 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 28, 1997; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAB Daytona Beach FL at 9:55 am
- Destination: 34J
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from DAB, 20 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.