Beech F35 accident near Amarillo, Texas, March 25, 2002
On March 25, 2002 at about 1:30 am local time, a Beech F35, registered N4257B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Amarillo, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Flutter due to the improper balance of the ruddervator, which resulted in structural damage to the aft fuselage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2002 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Amarillo, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F35 · all F35s on the register
- Registration
- N4257B · registry record · serial D-4234
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while in level cruise flight at 140 knots indicated airspeed, at an altitude of 5,500 feet mean sea level (msl), the airplane encountered "clear air turbulence." The pilot stated that at the time of the accident, the airplane autopilot system was engaged, and his hands were not on the cockpit controls. During the accident, the airplane "was suddenly thrust nose high and vertical." The pilot then "pushed the nose [of the airplane] over," and recovered control of the airplane from the unusual attitude. The pilot continued the flight to his intended destination and landed without incident. Examination of the airplane revealed that the aft fuselage exhibited extensive skin wrinkling and tearing between the fuselage station (FS) 233.5 and FS 256.9 bulkheads. The left fuselage side exhibited a compression wrinkle extending from the bottom of the FS 256.9 bulkhead diagonally up and forward toward the top of the FS 233.5 bulkhead. The right fuselage side exhibited a compression wrinkle extending from the top of the FS 256.9 bulkhead diagonally down and forward toward the bottom of the FS 233.5 bulkhead. The bottom skin exhibited a compression wrinkle that extended from the middle of the FS 256.9 bulkhead forward and outward toward FS 233.5 bulkhead. The right ruddervator was 20.98 inch-pounds static underbalanced. According to the manufacturer, the static underbalance weight range is 16.8 to 19.8 inch pounds.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 2, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,515.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 2001; 418.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CVN Clovis NM
- Destination: BGD Borger TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 030° at 22 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.