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).
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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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2025 · about 1:06 am local time
- Place
- Plainview, Texas · Hale County · 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
- 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 CEN25LA082.