NTSB ATL91LA097 — 1991-05-18 · DOTHAN, Alabama, United States

Current FAA registration · N3549R

Make / Model: BEECH A23
Year of manufacture: 1965 · 26 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR IO-346 SERIES (165 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19650405
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A3F74C

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N3549R Beech 23 None

Probable cause & findings

THE FAILURE OF THE CYLINDER HEAD BECAUSE OF PREVIOUS OVERHEATED OPERATIONS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S INACCURATE APPROACH WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT SWERVE INTO THE FENCE.

Factual narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON TAKEOFF DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AT ABOUT 800 FEET MSL. AIRPORT ELEVATION WAS 150 FEET. HE FLEW A CLOSE DOWNWIND LEG WHICH RESULTED IN OVERSHOOTING THE EXTENDED CENTER LINE WHEN HE TURNED ONTO FINAL. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED WITH THE LEFT WHEEL ON THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY & THE RIGHT WHEEL IN THE GRASS. THE AIRPLANE SWERVED RIGHT INTO A FENCE. ONE CLYINDER HEAD WAS FOUND BROKEN AWAY FROM THE CYLINDER BODY. THE CYLINDER HEAD SHOWED EVIDENCE OF OVERHEATING & THERE WAS EXHAUST GAS IMPINGEMENT & BLACKENING OF THE FRACTURE SURFACE. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1991_ATL91LA097.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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