Beech C23 accident near Rich County, Utah, January 25, 2023
On January 25, 2023, a Beech C23, registered N23FD, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Rich County, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inability to maintain altitude following an encounter with turbulence and adverse wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2023
- Place
- Rich County, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C23 · all C23s on the register
- Registration
- N23FD · registry record · serial M-1663
- 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 she encountered unexpected winds while flying at night. After multiple encounters with strong wind gusts and turbulence, the pilot lost control of the airplane and it started to spin downward. She was able to successfully recover from the spin, but was forced to search for a suitable landing site as she was unable to maintain altitude. The pilot executed a forced landing in an open snow-covered area and the airplane stopped abruptly, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 in flight during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Other weather encounter during enroute (cruise)
- Turbulence encounter during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 689.5 hours in all; 28.6 in this make and model; 68.6 in the last 90 days; 32.5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 17, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,674.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2022; 89.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4J (piston); 373 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KEVW Evanston UT
- Destination: TWF Twin Falls ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 220° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; a few clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 7:29 pm from KEVW, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEVW 250153Z AUTO 22013KT 10SM FEW015 SCT025 BKN100 M11/M12 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP302 T11061122 $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 23, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.