Beech A23 accident near Burley, Idaho, October 2, 1983
On October 2, 1983, a Beech A23, registered N4773J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burley, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- October 2, 1983
- Place
- Burley, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N4773J · no longer on the register · serial MA-200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS PARTICIPATING IN AN OPEN COURSE AIR RACE TO JACKPOT, NV. HE PLANNED TO MAKE AN EN ROUTE STOP AT ARCO, ID TO REFUEL. THE WX FORCAST CALLED FOR MARGINAL CONDITIONS. THE PLT MADE A TELEPHONE CALL TO ARCO & CONFIRMED THAT THE WX (AT THAT TIME) WAS VFR, SO HE PROCEEDED WITH THE FLT. FOR WEIGHT CONSIDERATIONS, HE TOOK OFF WITH ONLY 38 GAL OF FUEL ON BOARD. HOWEVER, AFTER ARRIVING IN THE AREA OF ARCO, A HEAVY RAIN SHOWER PREVENTED HIM FROM LANDING. HE CHOSE TO CONTINUE TO BURLEY, ID, BUT BEFORE REACHING HIS ALTERNATE STOPPING POINT, THE ENG LOST POWER FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED DURING A LANDING ON ROUGH TERRAIN. TOTAL TIME OF ENG OPERATION WAS APRX 4 HR & 50 MIN. ACCORDING TO THE OWNER'S MANUAL, 38 GAL WOULD HAVE PROVIDED ABOUT 4.9 HRS OF FLT TIME. LESS THAN 1 PINT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS.
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: 195 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 158 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 6, 1983; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GTF Great Falls MT at 7:20 pm
- Destination: 06U Jackpot NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from BYI, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.