Beech 35-C33 accident near Dalhart, Texas, August 13, 1991
On August 13, 1991 at about 8:28 pm local time, a Beech 35-C33, registered N887R, was destroyed in an accident near Dalhart, Texas (Dalhart airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE AND EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 1991 · about 8:28 pm local time
- Place
- Dalhart, Texas · Dalhart · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35-C33 · all 35-C33s on the register
- Registration
- N887R · no longer on the register · serial CD-260
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DAY CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THE NON-INSTRUMENT-RATED PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). THE PILOT HAD NOT FILED A FLIGHT PLAN; HOWEVER, HE WAS ADVISED ON AT LEAST FIVE OCCASIONS THAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT WERE IMC, MARKED BY LOW CEILINGS, FOG, AND RAIN. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER A CONTRACT FOR A LOCAL MUNICIPALITY TO CARRY PASSENGERS ON A BUSINESS TRIP. THE AIRPLANE WAS FORCED TO A LOW ALTITUDE DUE TO THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND WAS SEEN FLYING AT ALTITUDES OF 60 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS. DURING A VISUAL APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE ROLLED LEFT TO THE INVERTED POSITION AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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
- Flight time: 1,049 hours in all; 898 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,050 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCK Mc Cook NE at 5:17 pm
- Destination: PVW Plainview TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.