Beech D35 accident near Mcgehee, Arkansas, April 24, 1995
On April 24, 1995 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech D35, registered N2920B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgehee, Arkansas (Mcgehee Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY SHUTTING DOWN THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 24, 1995 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mcgehee, Arkansas · Mcgehee Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D35 · all D35s on the register
- Registration
- N2920B · no longer on the register · serial D-3561
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TEN MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENGINE'S OIL PRESSURE BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE. THE PILOT RETURNED TO MCGEHEE AIRPORT, AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT THE UNCONTROLLED AIRPORT ON RUNWAY 18 AS ANOTHER AIRPLANE WAS TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 36. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE INTENTIONALLY SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE WHEN THE RUNWAY COULD BE MADE. THE PILOT MADE A RIGHT TURN TO AVOID THE AIRPLANE ON TAKEOFF AND ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO RUNWAY 18. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND 50 FEET PRIOR TO THE RUNWAY, AND CAME TO REST ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT WHICH WAS TAKING OFF FROM RUNWAY 36 OBSERVED N2920B APPROACHING RUNWAY 18 BANKING 'BACK AND FORTH', ABOUT '30 DEGREES EITHER DIRECTION. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THEY WERE TOO HIGH AND FAST TO LAND.' HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT 'INITIATED A STEEP RIGHT BANK' TO THE WEST, AND THEN WAS OBSERVED MAKING A 'KNIFE EDGE BANK' TO THE EAST AT AN 'EXTREMELY LOW' ALTITUDE. NO RADIO CALL DECLARING AN EMERGENCY WAS HEARD. THE AIRPLANE'S OIL SUMP DRAIN WAS FOUND OPEN, APPROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF OIL IN THE ENGINE, AND THERE WAS OIL ON THE BELLY OF THE AIRPLANE. THE ENGINE'S OIL HAD BEEN CHANGED RECENTLY BY THE PILOT.
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: 1,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 22, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Little Rock AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from GLH, 21 miles away
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.