Beech P35 accident near Bridgeport, Texas, July 2, 2013
On July 2, 2013 at about 4:14 pm local time, a Beech P35, registered N8585M, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Bridgeport, Texas (Bridgeport Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of both the flight instructor and the pilot to monitor and manage the fuel on board, which resulted in an engine failure due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 2013 · about 4:14 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeport, Texas · Bridgeport Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech P35 · all P35s on the register
- Registration
- N8585M · no longer on the register · serial D-7207
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and flight instructor were making touch-and-go landings when the engine lost power. Unable to glide to the runway, they made a forced landing in an open field. During the forced landing, the landing gear was sheared off and the firewall was buckled. The student sustained a serious injury and the flight instructor received minor injuries. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and reported the fuel selector was positioned on the left fuel tank. When electrical power was applied, the left fuel gauge registered empty. No fuel was observed in the left fuel tank. The right fuel tank had not been compromised and contained fuel.
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
- Fuel starvation during maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 170 hours in all; 3 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,711 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 2012; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KXBP Bridgeport TX at 2:00 pm
- Destination: KXBP Bridgeport TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,004 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KXBP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.