Beech M35 accident near Fayetteville, Arkansas, January 6, 2023
On January 6, 2023 at about 11:52 pm local time, a 1960 Beech M35, registered N673V, was destroyed in an accident near Fayetteville, Arkansas (Drake Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s mismanagement of the airplane’s fuel system, which resulted in fuel starvation and a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 2023 · about 11:52 pm local time
- Place
- Fayetteville, Arkansas · Drake Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech M35, built 1960 · all M35s on the register
- Registration
- N673V · no longer on the register · serial D-6273
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on the first leg of the trip with the airplane fully fueled and two passengers onboard. After about an hour flight, the pilot landed at the destination airport and dropped off both passengers. The airplane was not fueled at that time. The pilot departed as the sole occupant to return to the initial airport. About 18 miles from the destination airport, the airplane entered a gradual descent as it remained on course. About 6 minutes later, the airplane entered a descending left turn that continued until the available position data ended. The airplane impacted trees and terrain about 3 miles from the airport. The accident site was in a wooded area adjoining an open field. A witness heard the airplane as it approached and recalled that the engine sounded as if it was going to lose power but then “revved up really high.” This cycle occurred 3 or 4 times over a span of 10 – 15 seconds. The engine then seemed to stop; however, he was unsure if the airplane had descended behind a ridgeline. He did not hear the impact nor was he able to see the airplane. Postaccident airframe and engine examinations did not reveal any preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was equipped with 2 25-gallon main fuel tanks and 2 10-gallon auxiliary fuel tanks. The fuel selector valve had settings for the left main tank, the right main tank, and the auxiliary tanks. The main fuel tanks were selected individually. Both auxiliary tanks fed simultaneously when selected. Excess (unburned) fuel from the engine was returned to the selected main fuel tank or, if the auxiliary tanks were selected, to the left main fuel tank. The fuel tank caps were securely installed, and each tank appeared to be intact. About 15 gallons and 10 gallons of fuel were recovered from the left and right main fuel tanks, respectively. Both the left and right auxiliary fuel tanks contained minimal fuel. Data recovered from an onboard electronic engine display unit revealed that the pilot departed on the initial leg of the trip with the left fuel main fuel tank selected. About midflight, the pilot changed to the auxiliary fuel tanks. Upon departure on the accident flight, the pilot had the right main fuel tank selected. About 14 minutes before the accident, the pilot selected the auxiliary fuel tanks to supply the engine. About 2 minutes before the accident, the useable fuel contained in the auxiliary tanks was exhausted, and the engine lost power due to fuel starvation. The pilot most likely selected the left main fuel tank in an effort to restore engine power. Useable fuel was available in both the left and right main fuel tanks when the engine lost power. The pilot was likely maneuvering toward an open field for a forced landing under a clear night sky and rising full moon. However, the airplane did not have sufficient altitude to reach the field. It could not be determined whether the night lighting conditions hindered the pilot’s attempted forced landing.
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
- 600440 during other
- 506191 during 506
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 1,765 hours in all; 377 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 12, 2021
- Medical certificate: class 2
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,904 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, March 22, 2022; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-470-C12B (piston); 2,904 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: SGT Stuttgart AR at 4:49 pm
- Destination: FYV Fayetteville AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway N/A
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°C, dew point 30°C
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from FYV, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN23FA074.