Beech S35 accident near Carrollton, Texas, February 21, 1990
On February 21, 1990 at about 6:50 am local time, a Beech S35, registered N236S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carrollton, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
STARVATION INDUCED POWER LOSS CAUSED BY THE PILOT'S IMPROPER SELECTION/MANAGEMENT OF THE APPROPRIATE FUEL TANK. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING WHICH RESULTED IN RUNNING A FUEL TANK DRY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1990 · about 6:50 am local time
- Place
- Carrollton, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N236S · registry record · serial D-7858
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MISMANAGED THE FUEL SYSTEM OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LATTER PORTION OF A CROSS COUNTY FLIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN A TOTAL NON-MECHANICAL, LOSS OF POWER. THE AIRCRAFT WAS VECTORED TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, BUT STRUCK A TREE AND THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 3 STATUTE MILES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE, BUT COULD NOT, DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT WAS FLYING WITH THE LEFT FUEL TANK SELECTED WHICH WAS FOUND DEPLETED OF USEABLE FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS 3/4 FULL OF USEABLE, CLEAN FUEL. AFTER THE LOSS OF POWER, THE FUEL PUMP CAVITATED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE PILOT DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME OR ALTITUDE TO PERFORM A RESTART.
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
What happened, in order
- LOSS OF ENGINE POWER(TOTAL) - NONMECHANICAL during descent
- FORCED LANDING during descent - emergency
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH OBJECT during descent - emergency
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, APLN, none
- Flight time: 1,557 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 253 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,504 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 1
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: OKC Oklahoma City OK at 5:45 am
- Destination: DAL Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: thin overcast at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
- Observation at 6:49 am from DAL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW90LA073.