Beech G35 accident near Brenham, Texas, February 27, 2011
On February 27, 2011 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech G35, registered N437D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Brenham, Texas (Brenham Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear during the approach resulting in a gear-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2011 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Brenham, Texas · Brenham Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G35 NO SERIES · all G35s on the register
- Registration
- N437D · no longer on the register · serial D-4530
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was arriving to land at a busy non-towered airport. He inadvertently forgot to extend the landing gear, partly because of the strong gusting headwind he experienced on final approach. His attention was directed toward making a smooth touchdown when he suddenly saw the propeller stop as it contacted the runway surface. After the airplane came to a stop, the pilot removed his electronic noise canceling headphones and he then heard the landing gear warning horn which was not wired into the audio interphone system. As a result of the impact sequence, there was substantial damage to the fuselage structure.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern downwind)
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Communications system › Interphone › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear position and warning › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,745 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 1,745 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 18, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,485 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 2010; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,775 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E225 Series (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TS07 Cypress TX at 6:40 pm
- Destination: 11R Brenham TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,003 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.71 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from K11R
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.