Beech C23 accident near Rochester, New Hampshire, February 15, 1995
On February 15, 1995 at about 5:37 pm local time, a Beech C23, registered N812Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rochester, New Hampshire (Skyhaven 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 pilot's inadequate inflight planning/decision and inadvertently turning the ignition switch to the off position. A factor was the ignition switch stuck in the off position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1995 · about 5:37 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, New Hampshire · Skyhaven
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N812Y · no longer on the register · serial M-2312
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED, '...ON CLIMBOUT THE POPPING SOUND BECAME VERY LOUD IN (THE PILOT'S AND PASSENGER'S HEADSETS).... (ABOUT 800 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL) I DECIDED TO CHECK THE (MAGNETOS).... I THEN PROCEEDED TO TURN THE IGNITION SWITCH COUNTER CLOCKWISE TO THE FIRST (MAGNETO) POSITION. THE SOUND DID NOT CHANGE. I RETURNED THE KEY TO THE BOTH POSITION. I THEN TURNED THE KEY TO THE SECOND(MAGNETO) POSITION. THE SOUND DID NOT CHANGE SO I TRIED TO JIGGLE THE KEY...I INADVERTENTLY TURNED THE KEY TOO FAR LEFT AND IT WENT INTO THE OFF POSITION. IT STILL WOULD NOT TURN RIGHT. THE ENGINE HAD STOPPED.' THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR STATED, 'ONLY A SMALL, SNOW COVERED FIELD WAS AVAILABLE AT THE TIME AND A FORCED LANDING WAS ACCOMPLISHED. DUE TO THE SIZE OF THE FIELD, THE PILOT MADE A HARD LANDING, SEVERING THE GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP IN APPROX. 90 FT.' POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED 'WITH ANY FORWARD PRESSURE PUSHING THE KEY IN, THE IGNITION KEY WOULD STICK AND NOT TURN FROM (LEFT MAGNETO) POSITION TOWARD BOTH.'
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
- Flight time: 197 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 64 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,746 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1994; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 6B1 at 5:00 am
- Destination: CON Concord NH
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 15, 4,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.