Beech A23 accident near Davenport, Iowa, September 15, 1988
On September 15, 1988, a Beech A23, registered N6917Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Davenport, Iowa. 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
- September 15, 1988
- Place
- Davenport, Iowa
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N6917Q · no longer on the register · serial MA 277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIC SAID THERE WAS A LOUD METALLIC EXPLOSION IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WHEN THE ACFT WAS ABOUT 7 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION APT AND BEGINNING A DESCENT. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN VIBRATING VIOLENTLY AND THE WINDSHIELD BECAME COVERED WITH ENGINE OIL. ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BY THE CONTROL TOWER TO VECTOR THE ACFT TO THE AIRPORT, BUT THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAKE VISUAL CONTACT. HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A LIGHTED CITY STREET. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND BEYOND A POINT WHERE TRAFFIC WAS WAITING FOR A SIGNAL TO CHANGE, BUT AS HE PASSED BY THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS THE TRAFFIC BEGAN TO MOVE FORWARD. HE APPLIED FULL FLAPS PULLED BACK ON THE CONTROL WHEEL, BALLOONED BACK INTO THE AIR, STRUCK SOME WIRES, THEN HIT THE TERRAIN AND SLID TO STOP, SIDEWAYS, MINUS THE LDG GEAR. THE GEAR HAD BEEN SHEARED OFF. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO A CONNECTING ROD.
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: 250 hours in all; 53 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,228 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1987; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Y49 Walker MN at 9:00 pm
- Destination: MLI Moline IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:41 pm from MLI, 7 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.