Beech S35 accident near Tuscola, Illinois, July 15, 2009
On July 15, 2009 at about 11:14 pm local time, a Beech S35, registered N13W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Tuscola, Illinois (Tuscola Airport). It was a ferry 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 pilot failure to maintain proper speed and distance during approach to land which resulted in landing long and subsequent runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2009 · about 11:14 pm local time
- Place
- Tuscola, Illinois · Tuscola Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N13W · registry record · serial D-7888
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot’s first attempt to land resulted in a go-around because he was too high and fast. During the second landing attempt, the airplane bounced and the pilot did another go-around. Witnesses reported that during the third landing attempt, the airplane touched down about mid-field with too much airspeed. The pilot applied the brakes, but the airplane went off the end of the runway. The pilot made a sharp left turn to avoid hitting a ditch head-on. The right main landing gear and nose gear collapsed, and the right wing came to rest on the road. The pilot reported that he took his hand off the throttle during the flare so that he could have both hands on the yoke. He reported that when he removed his hand from the throttle, it advanced about 200 rpm. An inspection of the airplane revealed that the throttle linkage was hitting the stops. The throttle control was examined and no discrepancies were noted.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, 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: 32,830 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 32,830 as pilot in command; 5,100 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 30, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,375 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBX Pikesville KY at 10:00 pm
- Destination: K96 Tuscola IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 09, 2,660 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Observation at 10:53 pm from CMI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N13W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09LA446.