Beech 23 accident near Independence, Missouri, May 21, 1988
On May 21, 1988 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Beech 23, registered N2378L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Independence, 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
- May 21, 1988 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Independence, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 23 · all 23s on the register
- Registration
- N2378L · no longer on the register · serial M 218
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC PLANNED A LOCAL FLT TO PRACTICE TOUCH AND GO LNDGS. ON AN EARLIER FLT THE PIC HAD SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE FULLEST TANK. AS THE SUBSEQUENT FLT PROGRESSED, THE PIC AGAIN SELECTED WHAT HE CONSIDERED TO BE THE FULLEST TANK AS PART OF THE PRE-LNDG CHKLIST. AS THE ACFT BEGAN THE PWRD CLIMB PORTION OF THE TOUCH AND GO LNDG, THE ENG FALTERED AND QUIT. INSUFFICIENT ALT WAS AVAILABLE TO EXECUTE A RETURN TO THE RWY, SO THE PIC STATED HE LOWERED THE NOSE AND MADE A FORCED LNDG INTO A GROVE OF TREES. THE PIC REALIZED LATER THAT HE HAD SWITCHED TO THE FUEL TANK WHICH CONTAINED LITTLE OR NO FUEL.
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: 236 hours in all; 236 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 199 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,152 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1988; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Independence MO at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.