Beech B35 accident near Portales, New Mexico, June 28, 1996
On June 28, 1996 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Beech B35, registered N8860A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Portales, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure by maintenance personnel to perform proper maintenance on the aircraft during an annual inspection, and failure to comply with an airworthiness directive.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1996 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Portales, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B35 · all B35s on the register
- Registration
- N8860A · registry record · serial D 2515
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While conducting a descent for landing at the destination airport, following a cross country flight, the pilot encountered what he described as 'high speed buffet.' Speed at the time was within the normal range. The pilot slowed the aircraft and the buffet discontinued. Following landing, the pilot inspected the aircraft and found the right stabilizer bent and twisted. Inspection of the aircraft revealed that the stabilizers were out of balance and that required maintenance had either not been performed or was improperly performed. An examination of the aircraft records revealed an airworthiness directive applicable to the BE-35 had not been complied with during the annual inspection performed approximately 11 hours prior to this 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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,159 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 2,780 as pilot in command; 201 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,309 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 1995; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM at 9:30 pm
- Destination: Q34
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.