Beech M35 accident near Winston-Salem, North Carolina, September 20, 1994
On September 20, 1994 at about 2:00 am local time, a Beech M35, registered N9931R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winston-Salem, North Carolina (Smith Reynolds airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AND A PROPER GLIDEPATH ON FINAL APPROACH, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND UNDERSHOOT. FACTORS WERE THE NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1994 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Winston-Salem, North Carolina · Smith Reynolds · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech M35 · all M35s on the register
- Registration
- N9931R · no longer on the register · serial D-6468
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT (117 HOURS TOTAL FLYING TIME) WAS LANDING THE AIRPLANE DURING NIGHT, VMC. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CAUTIONED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS LOW AND SLOW ON SHORT FINAL. THE STUDENT RAISED THE NOSE, BUT DID NOT ADD POWER. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, AND LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY EDGE. AS THE AIRCRAFT CROSSED THE RUNWAY EDGE, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE LEFT WING MAIN SPAR BUCKLED. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST OCCASION THAT THE STUDENT AND INSTRUCTOR HAD FLOWN TOGETHER. THE INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE STUDENT'S ABILITIES, AND WAITED TOO LATE TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 1,000 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,042 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 1994; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ILM Wilmington NC at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 6,655 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:39 am from INT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.