Beechcraft Musketeer, Sport, Sundowner and Sierra
11 models built 1963–1983 · 1,434 on the US register today
The Musketeer family, built 1963-1983 on type certificate A1CE: Beechcraft's four-seat fixed-gear trainer and light tourer with two doors, a wide cabin and a squared-off wing, heavier and slower than its Cessna and Piper rivals but better finished. The 23/A23 had 160-165 hp; the A23-19/B19 Sport is the 150 hp two-plus-two trainer; the A23-24 Super has 200 hp; the B23 and C23 Sundowner have 180 hp; and the B24R and C24R Sierra are the 200 hp retractable members of the line.
The variants
| MODEL | YEARS | ACTIVE | TAILFAX SCORE | WHAT CHANGED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 1963–1965 | 147 | 31.5/50 | The original: 160 hp O-320 |
| A23 | 1964–1965 | 85 | 26.2/50 | 165 hp Continental IO-346 |
| A23-19 | 1966–1968 | 72 | — | Sport: 150 hp trainer |
| A23-24 | 1966–1969 | 121 | 31/50 | Super: 200 hp IO-360 |
| A23A | 1966–1967 | 51 | Partial 12.8/30 | 2,400 lb gross |
| B23 | 1968–1969 | 62 | Partial 13.2/30 | Custom: 180 hp O-360 |
| B-19 Sport | 1970–1978 | 2 | 33.7/50 | Registry spelling of the B19 Sport |
| B19 | 1970–1978 | 145 | 33.7/50 | Sport 150 with aerobatic approval |
| C23 | 1970–1983 | 456 | 28.6/50 | Sundowner: 180 hp |
| B24R | 1973–1976 | 117 | 34.7/50 | Sierra: retractable gear, 200 hp |
| C24R | 1977–1983 | 176 | 25.8/50 | Sierra with aerodynamic refinements |
Family fleet, active
1,434
FAA registry
NTSB events / 1,000, 10 yrs
64.2
92 events over 1,434 active aircraft, pooled across the family
Successor
Data as of: FAA registry Sep 28 · NTSB Oct 2 · scores Sep 30