Beech BE-V35B accident near Olathe, Kansas, January 6, 1999
On January 6, 1999 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech BE-V35B, registered N740T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olathe, Kansas (Johnson County Executive 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 continued flight into adverse weather that resulted in structural icing and subsequently an aerodynamic stall on landing flare. A factor was the pilot's inadequate weather evaluation .
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1999 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Olathe, Kansas · Johnson County Executive
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-V35B
- Registration
- N740T · no longer on the register · serial D9850
- 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 he was cleared to 4,000 feet msl at his request. Approximately 40 miles southwest of Johnson County Executive Airport, Olathe, Kansas, the pilot noticed clear ice forming on the windshield and the wing's leading edge. He added that the rime ice build up was three inches thick. The pilot stated that he flew the localizer 36 approach at 120 mph and as he crossed the threshold of runway 36, approximately 20 feet above the runway surface, he started to 'round out and the airplane immediately stalled and hit hard'. The aircraft came to rest on the right side approach end of runway 36 where the right main and nose landing gear were found collapsed. At 1553, the Johnson County Executive Airport automated surface observing system recorded a surface temperature of -2 degrees Celsius and an overcast cloud layer at 2,200 feet msl. Advisory circular 00-6A, Aviation weather states, '...all clouds at subfreezing temperatures have icing potential. However, drop size, drop distribution, and aerodynamic effects of the aircraft influence ice formation.' AC 00-6A also states, '...If your aircraft is not equipped with deicing or anti-icing equipment, avoid areas of icing. Water (clouds or precipitation) must be visible and outside air temperature must be near zero degrees Celsius or colder for structural ice to form.' Post accident examination of the aircraft revealed 3/4-inch thick rime ice on the aircraft's wing and empennage leading edges.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,740 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 6,750 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,721 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 1998; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,398 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UKL Burlington KS at 8:56 pm
- Destination: OJC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 4,099 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from OJC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.