Beech A23-24 accident near Camas, Washington, December 22, 2009
On December 22, 2009 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Beech A23-24, registered N973WP, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near Camas, Washington (Grove Field 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 left magneto's broken p-lead, which led to the engine inadvertently starting while the pilot was turning the propeller by hand.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 22, 2009 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Camas, Washington · Grove Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23-24 · all A23-24s on the register
- Registration
- N973WP · no longer on the register · serial MA-274
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that due to low overnight temperatures the engine would not start. As a part of his normal procedure for cold weather operations, he turned off the master and ignition switches, removed the key, and exited the airplane. The pilot was rotating the propeller counterclockwise by hand when the engine suddenly started. The airplane began moving down the taxiway and struck an unoccupied, parked airplane. The engine immediately stopped and the airplane turned approximately 90 degrees to the left, substantially damaging the airplane's left wing. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed a broken p-lead on the left magneto of the airplane. The pilot stated that he could have prevented this accident from occurring by placing the mixture at idle cutoff, placing the throttle at idle, chocking the wheels, and turning the propeller in a clockwise direction.
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
What happened, in order
- Electrical system malf/failure during prior to flight defining event
- Ground handling event during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,602 hours in all; 1,104 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,571 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 6, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,303 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 2009; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1W1 Camas WA
- Destination: 1W1 Camas WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,400 ft; clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from TTD, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.