Beech 33 accident near Granbury, Texas, February 8, 2020
On February 8, 2020 at about 7:17 pm local time, a 1979 Beech 33, registered N6665U, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Granbury, Texas (Granbury Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2020 · about 7:17 pm local time
- Place
- Granbury, Texas · Granbury Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 33 F33A, built 1979
- Registration
- N6665U · no longer on the register · serial CE-880
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a personal flight to a nearby airport. Flight tracking information and a statement from another pilot indicated that the pilot overflew the runway, entered the airport traffic pattern, landed, and taxied the airplane off the runway. About 7 minutes later, the airplane was captured on radar as it flew downwind in the traffic pattern and proceeded north. About 2 minutes later, the radar data ended; the accident site was located 0.39 nautical mile north-northeast of the final radar return. The airplane impacted trees and terrain in a nose-low attitude with minimal forward momentum and a slightly twisted empennage, consistent with an aerodynamic stall/spin. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. It is likely that the pilot was flying an extended pattern and turning from the base to final legs of the pattern when he exceeded the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and impact with terrain.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern base) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 983 hours in all; 2.7 in the last 90 days; 1.2 in the last 30 days; 907 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 7, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,939.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 2019
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-550-B (piston); 3,944 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWL Mineral Wells TX at 6:51 pm
- Destination: GDJ Granbury TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,603 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from KGDJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
9 documents, released by the NTSB on December 1, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | NTSB Examination Summary | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Correspondence - Records of Conversation | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Fuel Receipt | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Pilot Logbook | PDF, 21 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.