Beech H35 accident near El Reno, Oklahoma, July 25, 1985
On July 25, 1985 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Beech H35, registered N356B, was destroyed in an accident near El Reno, Oklahoma. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- July 25, 1985 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- El Reno, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H35 · all H35s on the register
- Registration
- N356B · registry record · serial D4987
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT TOOK OFF AT 1054 CDT IN VMC WITH NO FLT PLAN. AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A RPRTD CEILING OF 1800 FT. AT 1112 CDT, THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS AT 10,000 FT, 'JUST REACHING THE TOPS.' AT 1137 CDT, HE STATED 'WE'RE ABOUT 60 WEST OF OKE CITY, WESTBOUND TO SAYRE VOR & WE'RE AT 12,500 FT & NOT QUITE ON TOP . .' APRX 7.5 MIN LATER, THE ACFT EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLT BREAK-UP & CRASHED WHILE ON A WESTERLY HDG APRX 19 MI WSW OF THE DEPARTURE ARPT, WELL EAST OF WHERE THE PLT HAD LAST RPRTD HIMSELF. THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVR A 4600 FT AREA ALONG ON A HDG OF 292 DEG. WITNESSES RPRTD HEARING THE ENG AT HI RPM, THEN HEARD A LOUD BANG. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THEY SAW PIECES OF THE ACFT FALLING OUT OF THE CLDS. AN EXAM REVEALED EVIDENCE THE LEFT WING & BOTH RUDDERVATORS HAD SEPD FM OVERLOAD FAILURE. THE LAST ENTRY IN THE PLT'S LOGBOOK WAS DATED 11/1/84. HIS LAST RECORDED FLT IN A BEECH 35 WAS ON 2/2/84. AN NTSB WX STUDY SHOWED CLD BASES AT APRX 3000 FT,CLD TOPS AT 12,500 FT, LGT TO MOD RAIN & LGT TO MOD TURBC BELOW 14,000 FT. NO PRE-ACDNT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,280 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 1,182 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,048 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1985; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWA Oklahoma City OK
- Destination: PHX Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft; not recorded at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from PWA, 20 miles away
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.