Beech H35 accident near Des Moines, Iowa, December 18, 2010
On December 18, 2010 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Beech H35, registered N5537D, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Des Moines, Iowa (Des Moines International 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
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel planning.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 2010 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Des Moines, Iowa · Des Moines International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H35 · all H35s on the register
- Registration
- N5537D · no longer on the register · serial D-5074
- 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 a few minutes after takeoff the airplane's alternator indicated a discharge condition. He elected to return to the departure airport. On final approach to land, about 100 feet above ground level, the engine lost power. The airplane impacted short of the runway, striking an airport security fence. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel strainer and fuel line to the engine contained no fuel. The fuel selector was found in the OFF position. When moved to the main or auxiliary tank positions fuel flowed to the fuel line at the engine. About 2 gallons of fuel remained in the left main tank and about 3 gallons in each auxiliary tank. There was no fuel visible in the right main fuel tank. The unusable fuel for each main tank is 3 gallons, and 0.5 gallon for each auxiliary tank. No other anomalies were found with the airplane's systems. The pilot said that he had departed with the fuel selector set to the left main fuel tank as required by the pilot’s operating handbook.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 550 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: July 22, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DSM Des Moines IA at 8:50 pm
- Destination: DSM Des Moines IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 9,003 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from DSM, 1 miles away
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.