Beech S35 accident near Jefferson, Texas, October 24, 1996
On October 24, 1996 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Beech S35, registered N881T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jefferson, Texas (Manning Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point, and his failure to maintain clearance from the fence. A factor was the fence post.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 1996 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Jefferson, Texas · Manning Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N881T · no longer on the register · serial 7764
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the arrival approach at the private sod/grass airport, the field was circled twice in order to survey the landing area. The pilot observed that the entire grass field including the runway had been mowed and the runway was not marked. Trees were observed at the approach end of the runway and an upslope of 25 degrees for the landing threshold was noted. During the landing roll left of the center line of the sod/grass runway, the left wing struck a fence and a steel corner post and the wing separated from the airplane. The pilot reported that he did not see the fence parallel to runway 25 (3,000 feet long and 100 feet wide).
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1996; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T47 Wichita Falls TX at 6:10 pm
- Destination: 6F7
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 3,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from GGG, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.