Beech V35B accident near Malvern, Arkansas, March 21, 2012
On March 21, 2012 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N17MJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Malvern, Arkansas (Malvern Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 did not fly a stabilized approach and elected not to perform a go-around, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 21, 2012 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Malvern, Arkansas · Malvern Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N17MJ · no longer on the register · serial D-9710
- 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 diverted to the accident airport due to weather with low ceilings. He encountered a gust of wind and rain during the turn from the base leg to final approach, which caused the airplane to be right of the runway centerline. Although the airplane floated down the runway and landed long, the pilot elected not to do a go-around. The pilot reported that the wet runway caused the tires to hydroplane, which increased the stopping distance. The airplane was traveling about 5 to 10 mph when it overran the end of the runway. The pilot attempted to veer the airplane to the left, but the right wing hit a fence, and the nose gear collapsed. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to a longeron in the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Wet › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,817 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,379 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRX Paris TX at 3:30 pm
- Destination: JZI Charleston SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,188 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; ovct
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:00 pm from HOT, 19 miles away
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.
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.