Beech N35 accident near Plainview, Texas, January 17, 2025
On January 17, 2025 at about 1:06 am local time, a Beech N35, registered N1206Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Plainview, Texas (Hale County 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
Fuel starvation due to fuel migration during the pilot induced slipping maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2025 · about 1:06 am local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Plainview, Texas · Hale County · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech N35 · all N35s on the register
- Registration
- N1206Z · registry record · serial D-6678
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while approaching to land he placed the airplane into a slip using right rudder and left aileron in order to lose excess altitude. When the airplane was about 100 ft. above the ground the engine stopped producing power. The pilot suspected that fuel flow to the engine was interrupted because the fuel migrated away from the fuel pickup during the slip resulting in a loss of engine power. He reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane.
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 approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management other cases naming the fuel system
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of policy/procedure › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,131 hours in all; 399 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 4,131 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,008 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2024; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-470-N (piston); 3,744 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04/2, 5,997 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from KPVW
Weather report (METAR): KPVW 170055Z AUTO 21006KT 10SM CLR 05/M12 A3010 RMK AO2 T00451116
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Front view of airplane at accident site
Photograph 2 – Fuselage damage
Photograph 3 – Damage to left wingThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 21, 2025. 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 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1206Z on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft N35 167 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-470-N 12 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Hale County · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,061 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,985 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN25LA082.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.