Beech V35B accident near Kalispell, Montana, June 5, 1985
On June 5, 1985 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N908V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kalispell, Montana (Kalispell 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1985 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Kalispell, Montana · Kalispell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N908V · registry record · serial D9645
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N904V, A PRIVATELY OWNED B-35, SKIDDED OFF TO THE SIDE OF A RUNWAY DURING LANDING. THE PLT SAID THAT HE INADVERTENTLY ACTIVATED THE GEAR UP SWITCH INSTEAD OF THE FLAP SWITCH. THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE PLT TO LOSE CONTROL OF ACFT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,273 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S34 Plains MT at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,600 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DEN85LA149.