Beech B35 accident near Canadian, Texas, January 7, 1983
On January 7, 1983 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Beech B35, registered N8849A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canadian, Texas (Hemphill CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1983 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Canadian, Texas · Hemphill CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B35 · all B35s on the register
- Registration
- N8849A · no longer on the register · serial D-2504
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE DURING ROLLOUT AFTER A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING ENGINE POWER LOSS ON FINAL APPROACH. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ONE AND A HALF MILES OUT ON FINAL AT 200 FT AGL WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. HE WAS OPERATING ON THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK. HE SWITCHED TO LEFT TANK AND WORKED THE WOBBLE PUMP. THE ENGINE STARTED BUT QUIT AGAIN. HE SWITCHED BACKTO THE RIGHT TANK AND AGAIN OPERATED THE WOBBLE PUMP. THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESTART. A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWED. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION BY THE OWNER SHOWED THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK WAS HALF FULL, THE RIGHT MAIN WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT TIP TANK HAD ABOUT 12 GALLONS IN IT. DURING POST ACCIDENT OPERATION THE WOBBLE PUMP FAILED TO PRODUCE PRESSURE ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT. ON THE 2ND TRY IT PRODUCED NORMAL PRESSURE AND THE ENGINE OPERATED NORMALLY. ALSO BOTH ELECTRIC FUEL TRANSFER PUMPS OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 898 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 739 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 4, 4,100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.