Beech V35B accident near Dixie Inn, Louisiana, January 19, 1993
On January 19, 1993, a Beech V35B, registered N74DC, was destroyed in an accident near Dixie Inn, Louisiana. 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1993
- Place
- Dixie Inn, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N74DC · registry record · serial D-9610
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MODE C READOUT HAD BEEN INTERMITTENT DURING THE FLIGHT; HOWEVER, THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS OR AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS. UPON ARRIVAL IN THE DESTINATION AREA, THE PILOT WAS ISSUED RADAR VECTORS AND INSTRUCTED TO INITIATE A DESCENT FROM 6,000 TO 3,000 FEET. THE INITIAL STAGE OF THE DESCENT APPEARED NORMAL ON RADAR. HOWEVER, UPON REACHING 5,100 FEET, THE TARGET WENT INTO THE COAST MODE AND RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT WAS LOST. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 2 DAYS LATER, SPREAD OUT OVER 200 FEET THROUGH DENSE WOODS ABOUT 2.5 MILES ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT FROM THE POINT OF LAST RADAR CONTACT. INVESTIGATION DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF AIRFRAME, ENGINE OR SYSTEMS FAILURE AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT ICING CONDITIONS EXISTED DURING THE DESCENT PHASE OF THE FLIGHT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,673 hours in all; 234 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,594 as pilot in command; 1,151 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,721 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 1992; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA10 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Midwest Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PAH Paducah KY at 10:03 pm
- Destination: SHV Shreveport LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.