Beech J35 accident near Knolls, Utah, November 26, 1987
On November 26, 1987 at about 1:30 am local time, a Beech J35, registered N2EE, was destroyed in an accident near Knolls, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1987 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Knolls, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech J35 · all J35s on the register
- Registration
- N2EE · registry record · serial D-5408
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LAST COMM WITH THE FLT WAS WHEN THE PLT CONTACTED ELKO RADIO AND REQUESTED THE SALT LAKE CITY WX. HE REPORTED THAT HE WAS AT 11500 FT AND VFR ON TOP. THE SPECIALIST ON DUTY WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE WX INFO DUE TO A COMPUTER SYS OUTAGE BUT RECOMMENDED THAT THE PLT CTC CEDAR CITY FLT WATCH FOR WX INFO. NO REC OF ANY FURTHER CONTACTS BY THE PLT COULD BE FOUND. APPROX 1 HR LATER, A WITNESS RPTD SEEING ACFT LIGHTS AT A LOW ALTITUDE HEADING IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION, NEAR THE CRASH SITE. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE WX AT THE TIME WAS SNOW AND ICY CONDITIONS AND THE STATE HWY PATROL CONFIRMED THAT BLIZZARD CONDITIONS EXISTED IN THE AREA. EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE ACFT DESCENDED INTO THE DESERT IN A SLIGHT NOSE DOWN, STEEP RIGHT WING DOWN ATTITUDE ON A TRACK OF 170 DEGREES. NO EVIDENCE OF MECH FAILURE/MALF OF THE ACFT OR ITS ENG WAS FOUND. THE PLT HAD A PRIOR HISTORY OF HYPOXIC PROBLEMS. THE ALT AT WHICH HE LAST REPORTED WAS IN THE AVERAGE SUB-HYPOXIC RANGE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,409 hours in all; 143 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 236 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,701 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 15, 1987; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.