Beech G35 accident near La Porte, Texas, August 18, 1992
On August 18, 1992 at about 3:40 am local time, a Beech G35, registered N4604D, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Porte, Texas (La Porte Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN AVAILABLE FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1992 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- La Porte, Texas · La Porte Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G35 · all G35s on the register
- Registration
- N4604D · no longer on the register · serial D-4781
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A COMMERCIAL PILOT EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON A RIGHT CROSSWIND WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 400 FEET AGL WHEN DEPARTING ON A SHORT NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONTINUE HIS RIGHT TURN TOWARDS THE AIRPORT WHILE HE PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES TO TRY TO REESTABLISH THE ENGINE POWER. THE AIRPORT FIRE STATION AND POWER LINES WERE IN HIS DESCENDING PATH SO THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STRETCH HIS GLIDE TO CLEAR THE OBSTACLES. THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN 200 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE NATURE OF THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 341 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 244 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,428 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 28, 1992; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,775 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E225 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: EFD Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 am from EFD, 10 miles away
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.