Beech V35 accident near San Antonio, Texas, February 20, 2006
On February 20, 2006 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N510LM, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Antonio, Texas. 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control while on approach to the runway. Contributing factors were the downdraft and the lack of suitable terrain for the off-airport landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2006 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N510LM · no longer on the register · serial D8453
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 3,000-hour commercial pilot was cleared by Air Traffic Control to the VOR and hold as published in the Instrument Approach Procedures. During the outbound leg of the published hold, he was cleared to descend to 2,000 feet, and for the approach to runway 32. During the approach, the pilot extended the landing gear and slowed the airplane to 90-knots. The pilot reported that he expected a circling approach to runway 14, since he heard the control tower clear another airplane for departure on runway 14. After the airplane descended below the clouds, the pilot had the airport in sight and proceeded towards the runway. The pilot stated that "all of a sudden, in seconds, the right wing went up, and the left wing went down, and I applied power but could not climb". The airplane subsequently impacted an open field just south of the airport. The pilot elected to reduce power and stay on the ground instead of attempting to regain altitude due to the risk of colliding with trees on the approach to the runway. The pilot further reported he thought he encountered a downdraft. An inspection on the engine was conducted and no abnormalities were found that would have prevented normal operation.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 2,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2005
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SSF San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from SSF, 2 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.