NTSB WPR20CA205 — 2020-07-05 · Sedona, Arizona, United States

Current FAA registration · N8868M

Make / Model: BEECH A23
Year of manufacture: 1964 · 56 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR IO-346 SERIES (165 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19641106
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S AC379B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N8868M Beech 23 None

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's inability to maintain a climb after an attempted takeoff in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in a forced landing on a road and subsequent landing gear collapse.

Factual narrative

The pilot was departing from an airport where the density altitude was 7,700 feet. While departing with a slight left quartering, the airplane lifted off from the runway near the mid field point and began slowly climbing. Crossing the end of the runway, the airplane yawed and then began to lose altitude. After the airplane exited the airport boundary, which was on a plateau, it continued to lose altitude and descended down the sloped terrain. Unable to gain airspeed or maintain altitude, the pilot initiated a forced landing to a road. During the landing, the right main and nose landing gear collapsed. The right wing and lower fuselage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Aircraft capability-Climb capability-Not attained/maintained - C
C Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Temp/humidity/pressure-High density altitude-Effect on operation - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2020_WPR20CA205.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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