Beech G35 accident near Friona, Texas, January 26, 1988
On January 26, 1988 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech G35, registered N313B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Friona, Texas (Lewellen Spraying 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
- January 26, 1988 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Friona, Texas · Lewellen Spraying · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G35 · all G35s on the register
- Registration
- N313B · registry record · serial D-4767
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON THE LANDING STRIP, THE LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE STRIP. THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO A WATER PIT, AND STRUCK A PUMP STATION AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT. LATER THE PILOT STATED TO HIS SON THAT HE HAD NOT BEEN FEELING WELL DURING THE FLIGHT, AND ALSO THAT THE ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT HAD NOT BEEN WORKING PROPERLY. HE SAID HE COULD NOT GET A DOWN AND LOCKED INDICATION FOR THE LANDING GEAR, BUT HAD NOT USED THE EMERGENCY EXTENSION SYSTEM. DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS NOT WORKING PROPERLY, AND THAT THERE WAS AN INTERCONNECT BETWEEN THE IGNITION SWITCH AND THE BATTERY SWITCH. THE BATTERY WOULD NOT BECOME OPERATIONAL AFTER THE BATTERY SWITCH WAS TURNED ON, UNTIL THE IGNITION SWITCH WAS 'WIGGLED'.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,909 hours in all; 680 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,281 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1987; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,775 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SWW Sweetwater TX at 7:00 pm
- Destination: Q54 Friona TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,800 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from AMA, 60 miles away
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.