Beech K35 accident near El Paso, Texas, October 5, 1985
On October 5, 1985 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Beech K35, registered N35JW, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Paso, Texas (El Paso International 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 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
- October 5, 1985 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · El Paso International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech K35 · all K35s on the register
- Registration
- N35JW · registry record · serial D-5872
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED HIS STRAIGHT-IN LANDING FINAL APCH WAS SMOOTH. THE AIRSPEED HAD DECREASED FROM 80 TO 65 KTS & THE ACFT'S WHEELS WERE ONLY INCHES ABOVE THE RWY WHEN THE RIGHT WING SUDDENLY LIFTED AND CAUSED THE ACFT TO VEER LEFT AND TOUCH DOWN ON THE DIRT BESIDE THE RWY. WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE WITH NO REPORTED GUSTS. THE PLT STATED THAT HE EITHERENCOUNTERED AN UNSEEN 'DUST DEVIL' ON THE RWY OR GOT INTO THE THE VORTEX TURBULENCE OF A LIGHT TWIN ENGINE ACFT (TYPE UNKNOWN) WHICH HAD JUST DEPARTED FROM THE SAME RWY.
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
- Flight time: 623 hours in all; 313 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 527 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,832 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MAF Midland TX at 8:16 pm
- Destination: ELP El Paso TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26L, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:55 pm from ELP
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.