Beech 23 accident near Fulton, Missouri, March 20, 1988
On March 20, 1988 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N4704J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fulton, Missouri (Fulton 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 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 20, 1988 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fulton, Missouri · Fulton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N4704J · registry record · serial MA-166
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ATTEMPTING A CROSSWIND LANDING, THE ACFT BEGAN TO PORPOISE AND VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY. THE LEFT LDG GEAR FAILED AND THE WHEEL STRUCK THE AFT SECTION OF THE FUSELAGE, THEN THE HORIZONTAL STABILATOR. THE PIC THEN APPLIED FULL POWER, BECAME AIRBORNE AND ATTEMPTED TO REPOSITION FOR A LANDING ON ANOTHER RUNWAY. HE SAID THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT FLYING PROPERLY, AND AFTER ABOUT 270 DEGREES OF TURN BELOW TREE TOP LEVEL, HE LANDED IN A CORN FIELD ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT PROPERTY. NEITHER PIC OR PAX SUFFERED ANY INJURIES, AND THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY 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: 77 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 37 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,669 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 1987; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K24 Columbia MO at 2:30 pm
- Destination: FIT Fulton MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 am from COU, 10 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.