Beech B19 accident near Ephrata, Washington, February 13, 2013
On February 13, 2013 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech B19, registered N2059L, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Ephrata, Washington (Ephrata Municipal 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff ground roll in crosswind conditions, and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2013 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ephrata, Washington · Ephrata Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N2059L · registry record · serial MB-808
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that the student was practicing touch-and-go landings with a “light” crosswind from the right. During the takeoff roll, the airplane encountered a low-level wind shear just as the airplane was beginning to rotate. The nose and right wing lifted up until the left wing struck the runway. The flight instructor took control of the airplane and applied aileron control to arrest the rising wing and right rudder to stop the yaw. The airplane subsequently departed the runway, striking a runway light and a distance marking sign. The left aileron and the nacelle firewall were bent and wrinkled. The flight instructor reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,600 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 4,600 as pilot in command; 2,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 30, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,512 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 15, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWH Moses Lake WA at 8:15 pm
- Destination: MWH Moses Lake WA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 21, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from EPH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.