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Accidents · NTSB CEN26LA077 · Final report

Beech B35 accident near La Casa, Texas, January 2, 2026

On January 2, 2026 at about 10:40 pm local time, a 1950 Beech B35, registered N5174C, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near La Casa, Texas (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 during initial climb after takeoff, leading to an aerodynamic stall and impact with trees.

Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.

What the record shows

Date
January 2, 2026 · about 10:40 pm local time · cases in 2026
Place
La Casa, Texas · Private Airstrip · map
Type
Accident
Injuries
No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
Weather
visual conditions (good weather)
Aircraft
Beech B35, built 1950 · all B35s on the register
Registration
N5174C · registry record · serial D-2585
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

In a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he was taking off from a private dirt strip when the accident happened. He said that he was departing to the south and the takeoff was normal until the airplane was above the level of the treetops that bordered the airstrip. Once the airplane reached that altitude, it stopped accelerating and drifted left, the left wing dropped, and the airplane descended into the trees. The pilot stated that he believed he experienced windshear with the wind changing from a quartering headwind to a quartering tailwind after clearing the trees. When asked, the pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The nearest aviation weather reporting station was located at the Stephens County Airport (BKD), Breckenridge, Texas, about 13 nautical miles northwest of the accident and reported wind from 280° at 7 knots about the time of the accident.

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

  1. Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event

The NTSB's findings

  • Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
  • Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded

Pilot

  • Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
  • Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
  • Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 47.5 in this make and model; 5.5 in the last 90 days
  • Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
  • Seat: left

The aircraft

  • Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
  • Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
  • Seats: 4
  • Landing gear: retractable
  • Engine: Continental E-185-8 (piston); 0 hours total

The flight

  • Runway 17, 2,200 ft by 90 ft

Weather at the time

  • Light: daylight
  • Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
  • Sky: clear
  • Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
  • Altimeter: 29.68 inHg
  • Observation at 4:35 pm from KBKD, 13 miles away

Weather report (METAR): METAR KBKD 022235Z AUTO 28007KT CLR 27/05 A2968 RMK AO2 T02680049

Injuries

FatalSeriousMinorNone
Flight crew1

Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them

[ENTER NTSB NUMBER] Photograph 1 – Right side view, from the NTSB investigation of Beech B35 accident near La Casa, Texas, January 2, 2026[ENTER NTSB NUMBER] Photograph 1 – Right side view[ENTER NTSB NUMBER] Photograph 2 – Left wing, from the NTSB investigation of Beech B35 accident near La Casa, Texas, January 2, 2026[ENTER NTSB NUMBER] Photograph 2 – Left wing[ENTER NTSB NUMBER] Photograph 3 – Front of airplane, from the NTSB investigation of Beech B35 accident near La Casa, Texas, January 2, 2026[ENTER NTSB NUMBER] Photograph 3 – Front of airplane

The 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

3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 30, 2026. 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.

#DocumentWhat it is
1 Record of Conversation with Pilot PDF, 1 page View Download
2 FAA Inspector Statement PDF, 1 page View Download
3 Accident Photos PDF, 3 pages · our copy 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

Aircraft
Place
Analytics

The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN26LA077.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.