Beech A23A accident near California, Missouri, December 24, 1988
On December 24, 1988 at about 1:10 am local time, a Beech A23A, registered N2364W, was substantially damaged in an accident near California, Missouri (Phillips Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- December 24, 1988 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- California, Missouri · Phillips Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23A · all A23As on the register
- Registration
- N2364W · no longer on the register · serial M-961
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PVT PILOT SAID WHILE ATTEMPTING A DOWNWIND TAKEOFF ON A DARK NIGHT FROM AN UNLIGHTED SOD STRIP, HE RECEIVED AN INTERMITTENT STALL WARNING HORN SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF. HE LOWERED THE NOSE AND THE ACFT STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND REBOUNDED INTO THE AIR. HE SAID HE HAD DIFFICULTIES WITH DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF AND RE-LAND. DURING THE ATTEMPT TO RE-LAND HE STRUCK A FENCE, TREES, THEN ROUGH ROCKY TERRAIN. THE ACFT SUSTAINED DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, LDG GEAR, EMPENNAGE AND FUSELAGE. TOXICOLOGY TESTS PERFORMED ON THE PILOT WERE NEGATIVE.
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: 116 hours in all; 12 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,515 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,370 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 80K
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.