Beech H35 accident near Talihina, Oklahoma, March 25, 1986
On March 25, 1986 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Beech H35, registered N5531D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talihina, Oklahoma (Talihina Muni 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
- March 25, 1986 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Talihina, Oklahoma · Talihina Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H35 · all H35s on the register
- Registration
- N5531D · registry record · serial 5081
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT HAD A LONG DESCENT FROM CRUISE ALT OF 7500' MSL AT REDUCED POWER SETTING DUE TO PLT'S DESIRE TO AVOID THE MODERATE TURBULENCE AT LOWER ALTITUDES. ON SHORT FINAL, OVER TALL TREES, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE PLT STATED THAT WHEN HE APPLIED POWER TO ARREST THE DESCENT RATE, THE ENG HESITATED AND CONSEQUENTLY THE ACFT ENTERED THE TOPS OF THE TREES. WINDS WERE VARIABLE FROM 160 TO 230 DEGS AT 15 TO 26 KTS. HILLY TERRAIN IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTED TO MECHANICAL TURBULENCE. PLT GAVE NO INDICATION THAT HE EVER ADDED POWER AT ANY TIME DURING THE DESCENT OR INITIAL APPROACH. ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS INDICATE THAT THE CONDITIONS WERE PRESENT FOR THE FORMATION OF INDUCTION ICING AT GLIDE POWER SETTINGS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 8,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,206 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 1985; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RVS Tulsa OK at 10:30 pm
- Destination: 6R1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,300 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 35 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.