Beech V35B accident near Sayre, Oklahoma, July 22, 1988
On July 22, 1988 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N771RB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sayre, Oklahoma (Sayre Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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 22, 1988 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sayre, Oklahoma · Sayre Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N771RB · registry record · serial D-8070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT 200 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE QUIT. HE TRIED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY BUT THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF LEFT SIDE, THEN THROUGH A DITCH. NO PROBLEMS COULD BE FOUND TO CAUSE THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE ENGINE WAS LATER RUN IN A TEST CELL WITH AN FAA INSPECTOR MONITORING. WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AN RPM DROP DUE TO DAMAGE OF AN IGNITION LEAD, THE ENGINE RUN WAS NORMAL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE CROSSWIND CAUSED HIM TO GO OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1987; 103 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OK23 at 4:29 pm
- Destination: RVS Jenks OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,280 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 235° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.