Beech J-35 accident near Abernathy, Texas, January 21, 2005
On January 21, 2005, a Beech J-35, registered N399RH, was destroyed in an accident near Abernathy, Texas (Abernathy Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper positioning of the fuel tank selector, which resulted in fuel starvation and a subsequent loss of engine power while maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2005
- Place
- Abernathy, Texas · Abernathy Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech J-35 · all J-35s on the register
- Registration
- N399RH · no longer on the register · serial D-5720
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness observed the airplane flying at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet agl with its landing gear and flaps extended on a downwind leg to land at an adjacent airport. When it was abeam the north end of the runway, it began to descend below 500 feet agl in a northerly direction. The airplane then made a descending right turn toward a southerly heading. Subsequently, the witness observed the right wing impact the ground. Within seconds after the airplane came to rest, it was engulfed in flames. The right main fuel tank was ruptured and destroyed by fire. The right auxiliary tank contained residual fuel that was blue in color. The fuel cap was secure, and the finger strainer was free of debris. The left main fuel tank contained approximately 3/4-inch of blue fuel. The left auxiliary tank contained approximately two inches of blue fuel. The fuel cap was secure, and the finger strainer was free of debris. The fuel selector was found in the "auxiliary" fuel tanks position. The fuel screen in the fuel selector was clear of debris and installed with the cone upward. An engine examination was performed under the supervision of the NTSB at a nearby maintenance facility. The engine was rotated by hand at the crankshaft and valve train continuity and piston movement were verified on all six cylinders. No defects or anomalies were found with the engine that could have precluded normal engine operation. The fuel pump was removed and did not contain any fuel. The fuel screen was free of debris. A review of the before landing checklist in the airplane flight manual revealed that prior to landing, the fuel selector must be positioned to the "MAIN TANK MORE NEARLY FULL."
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,360 hours in all; 512 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,527.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 2004
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TA67 Shallowater TX at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from LBB, 11 miles away
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.