Beech 35 accident near Seguin, Texas, April 1, 2020
On April 1, 2020 at about 6:10 pm local time, a 1960 Beech 35, registered N9883R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Seguin, Texas (Elm Creek Airpark 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’s mismanagement of airspeed and glidepath during approach for a precautionary landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and a collision with a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 2020 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Seguin, Texas · Elm Creek Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 M35, built 1960 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N9883R · no longer on the register · serial D-6454
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the initial climb, the airplane’s No. 3 cylinder indicated a cylinder head temperature (CHT) about 60° cooler than the other five cylinders. At 1,000 ft above ground level, the first power reduction was made from takeoff power to 2,500 rpm and 25 inches manifold pressure. The pilot reported a “normal reduction” in fuel flow was made with the mixture control. Immediately, the pilot heard and felt a loud, continuous “rhythmic banging” noise. The pilot noted the No. 3 cylinder CHT had reduced to 220° F; however, all other engine instrument indications remained in the normal range, and the engine still produced power. The pilot decided to return to the airport and land. Once established on the final approach for the runway, the pilot concluded that the airplane was "high and fast.” The pilot reported he was committed to the landing even though he knew he would land "long and hot." After the touchdown, the rollout was “completely under control,” but the groundspeed was “fast.” The airplane crossed the end of the runway and traveled past the runway overrun area. The airplane came to a stop after impact with a fence. The pilot reported the engine continued to run until he shut it down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. A postaccident examination of the engine was performed and a small amount of metal was found in the oil filter; no other preimpact anomalies were noted with the engine. The cause of the noise as reported by the pilot and the low No. 3 cylinder CHT could not be determined based on the available evidence. The accident is consistent with the pilot mismanaging his airspeed and glidepath during approach, which resulted in a precautionary landing too far down the runway at too high an airspeed to stop on the remaining runway.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,070 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 20, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,727.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 2020; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-470-C (piston); 4,727 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0TX6 Seguin TX at 6:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 1,925 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from KRND, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRND 011756Z AUTO 16006KT 10SM FEW150 FEW180 22/10 A3000 RMK AO2 SLP155 T02180097 10218 20104 57013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on February 7, 2022. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Engine Examination Report | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 4 | N9883R - Airplane and Maintenance Records (Courtesy of Mclarens Aviation) | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | NTSB Party Member Forms | PDF, 2 pages | 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.