Beech D35 accident near Decatur, Arkansas, July 15, 2000
On July 15, 2000 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Beech D35, registered N3424B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Decatur, Arkansas (Crystal Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The inadvertent stall while maneuvering to avoid obstructions during a forced landing. A factor was the pilot's failure to extend the landing gear, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power due to the propeller blades striking the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 2000 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Decatur, Arkansas · Crystal Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D35 · all D35s on the register
- Registration
- N3424B · no longer on the register · serial 3662
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he made visual contact with the destination airport when he was 'several miles out.' He flew a left base for runway 31, close in, and hurried to get things set up for the turn to final. On short final, he noticed that the airplane was extremely fast, and as the airplane approached the runway, the pilot remarked to his passenger that 'something was not right.' He then noticed that the landing gear handle was in the retracted position and initiated a go-around. Simultaneously, he heard scraping as if the airplane had contacted the runway. The pilot stated that he believes 'the prop hit the runway.' During the go-around, the pilot noticed that the airplane would not maintain a positive rate of climb. The pilot initiated an approach to a field, but 'pulled the airplane up' to clear trees and, subsequently, the airplane stalled, impacted the ground, and came to rest upright.
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: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 29, 2000; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLG Siloam Springs AR at 5:55 pm
- Destination: 5M5 AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,865 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from XNA, 18 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.