Beech G35 accident near Wichita Falls, Texas, July 24, 2017
On July 24, 2017 at about 3:30 am local time, a 1956 Beech G35, registered N4216D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Wichita Falls, Texas (Wichita Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight's encounter with adverse weather conditions at night, which resulted in the pilot's loss of airplane control upon landing due to standing water and a subsequent runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2017 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Wichita Falls, Texas · Wichita Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G35 NO SERIES, built 1956 · all G35s on the register
- Registration
- N4216D · no longer on the register · serial D-4414
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot stated that the cross-country personal flight proceeded normally until he entered the downwind leg for landing. During the landing approach in dark night conditions, he noted scattered thunderstorms ahead. During the final approach, he thought the airplane was too high, and he considered conducting a go-around. The airplane encountered a strong downdraft, heavy rain, and turbulence, and the pilot saw several lightning strikes ahead. The pilot decided to land and risk overrunning the runway rather than possibly entering the thunderstorm. Upon landing, the airplane overran the end of the runway, the second half of which had standing water on it, and then struck a berm. An automated weather observation facility 7 miles east of the accident site reported, at the time of the accident, variable winds from between 060° and 360° at between 16 and 20 knots, gusting to between 21 and 29 knots with a peak wind of 35 knots. A thunderstorm was present near the airport with lightning observed in all quadrants.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › Thunderstorm › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Convective turbulence › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Rain › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 16, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,888 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GPM Grand Prairie TX at 2:30 am
- Destination: F14 Wichita Falls TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,320 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:31 am from KSPS, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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 CEN17LA282.