Beech C23 accident near Grain Valley, Missouri, March 1, 1987
On March 1, 1987 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N6001M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grain Valley, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1987 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Grain Valley, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N6001M · no longer on the register · serial M-2111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE PREFLIGHT ENG RUN-UP WAS SATISFACTORY. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENG FAULTERED BRIEFLY AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED A LANDING BACK ON THE RWY. UPON ESTABLISHING A POINT TO LAND, THE ENG RESPONDED AND THE ACFT OVERSHOT THE INTENDED LANDING AREA. THE ENG FAULTERED ONCE AGAIN AND THE PLT WAS ABLE TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD JUST OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. INSPECTION OF THE ENG AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO DUPLICATE THE ENG MALFUNCTION FAILED TO PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT WOULD CONCLUSIVELY DETERMINE WHAT CAUSED THE FAILURE.
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: 231 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 170 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,088 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1986; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hamilton Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Grain Valley MO at 4:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.