Beech B35 accident near Nome, Alaska, March 10, 1988
On March 10, 1988 at about 3:47 am local time, a Beech B35, registered N5115C, was destroyed in an accident near Nome, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1988 · about 3:47 am local time
- Place
- Nome, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B35 · all B35s on the register
- Registration
- N5115C · registry record · serial D2399
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED AN IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP DURING THE ENROUTE PHASE OF THE FLIGHT. THE LEFT FITTING THAT SECURES THE FRONT SPARS OF THE STABILIZERS TO THE FUSELAGE REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF PRE-EXISTING FATIGUE CRACKING. THE INITIAL SEPARATION OF THE LEFT STABILIZER WAS INDICATIVE OF AN UPWARD FAILURE, WITH THE INITIAL SEPARATION IN THE FRONT SPAR. THE PILOT WAS A CERTIFIED A&P MECHANIC. NO PILOT OR AIRCRAFT LOGS WERE RECOVERED. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND INDICATING MAINTENANCE BEING PERFORMED BY PERSONS OTHER THAN THE PILOT.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 100 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCG Mcgrath AK at 1:39 am
- Destination: OME Nome AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 20 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.