Beech 35 accident near Lexington, Kentucky, January 26, 2019
On January 26, 2019 at about 8:40 pm local time, a 1965 Beech 35, registered N6136V, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Lexington, Kentucky (Blue Grass 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 pilot's improper slip maneuver on final approach, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2019 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, Kentucky · Blue Grass · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 S35, built 1965 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N6136V · registry record · serial D-7788
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane was high on the approach and he performed a slip to descend the airplane to his desired approach angle. About 1,000 feet above ground level, the pilot added engine power to maintain his approach angle, and the engine did not respond. The pilot performed a forced landing to a horse farm, where fences dividing the pastures substantially damaged the airplane during landing. After the accident, about 15 gallons of fuel were recovered from the left main fuel tank and about 16 gallons were recovered from the right main fuel tank. Each tank had a total capacity of 40 gallons. A placard mounted on the instrument panel cautioned: "Avoid prolonged slips (20 seconds or more) with fuel tanks less than half full." Examination of the airplane and a postaccident engine run revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. It is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of fuel starvation.
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
What happened, in order
- Fuel starvation during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid management
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,562 hours in all; 881 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 18, 2017
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,136 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2018; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,282 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550B (piston); 344 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABE Allentown PA at 5:16 pm
- Destination: LEX Lexington KY
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 7,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 1:28 am from KLEX, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.