Beech V35B accident near Lampasas, Texas, April 6, 1989
On April 6, 1989 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N17513, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lampasas, Texas (Lampasas airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES FOR THE ATTEMPTED OPERATION. A FACTOR WAS THE UNDETERMINED STATUS OF THE MAGNETOS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1989 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lampasas, Texas · Lampasas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N17513 · registry record · serial D-9977
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START THE AIRPLANE, BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT TURN. THEREFORE, THE PILOT ELECTED TO TURN THE PROPELLER THROUGH BY HAND. HE REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO THIS ACT, HE SECURED THE MAGNETO, MASTER, AND ALTERNATOR SWITCHES. THIS WAS DONE AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS POSITIONED IN A HANGAR WITHOUT WHEEL CHOCKS OR BEING TIED DOWN. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND THE AIRPLANE TAXIED INTO A GARBAGE CONTAINER AND THE HANGAR DOOR. THE PILOT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN HIS EFFORTS TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND SUFFERED A FRACTURED ARM IN HIS ATTEMPTS.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,485 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 1988; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.