Socata TB20 accident near Beatty, Nevada, September 22, 2007
On September 22, 2007 at about 2:30 am local time, a Socata TB20, registered N203AB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beatty, Nevada (Beatty Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to follow the manufacturer's procedures during a go-around and subsequent loss of airplane control. A contributing factor to the accident was the dark night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 2007 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Beatty, Nevada · Beatty Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Socata TB20 · all TB20s on the register
- Registration
- N203AB · no longer on the register · serial 2211
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger were on a cross-country flight. After night had fallen, they encountered deteriorating weather conditions, and diverted to an airport along their route of flight. During the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane entered an excessive descent rate, and the pilot initiated a go-around. As the pilot turned the airplane onto the downwind leg, the left wing impacted the ground. The pilot operating handbook for the airplane indicates that once a positive rate of climb is established, the landing gear should be retracted, as well as incremental flap retraction. Although the pilot believed that he retracted the flaps and landing gear, the cockpit selectors were both found in the extended position. The pilot had approximately 8 hours total night flight time, with 0.8-hour in the 30 days prior to the accident.
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: 242 hours in all; 143 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 172 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 386 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2006; 144 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,086 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOL Lovelock NV at 1:00 am
- Destination: HND Henderson NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; a few clouds at 2,400 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from KDRA, 39 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA07LA270.