Beech C24R accident near Bend, Oregon, August 26, 2003
On August 26, 2003 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Beech C24R, registered N6536C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bend, Oregon (Juniper Air Park airport). It was an instructional 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 first pilot's premature liftoff and his failure to abort the takeoff. Factors include a fence and a ditch bank located upwind of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2003 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bend, Oregon · Juniper Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N6536C · registry record · serial MC-788
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The first pilot reported that shortly after takeoff the airplane settled back onto the runway. The pilot continued the takeoff roll, reporting that the airplane lifted off a second time near the departure end of the runway. He reported that shortly after takeoff, the airplane collided with a fence located at the end of the departure runway. After colliding with the fence, the airplane impacted a ditch bank approximately 250 feet beyond the runway end, eventually coming to rest west of the departure runway. No mechanical difficulties or failures that may have contributed to the accident were reported.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 673 hours in all; 572 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,488 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5OR5 Bend OR
- Destination: Bend
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,600 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.