Beech J35 accident near Bass, Arkansas, April 29, 1999
On April 29, 1999 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Beech J35, registered N735B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bass, Arkansas. 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
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft directional control during landing roll on a gravel road. Factors were the clouds and low ceilings, the low fuel status, and the gravel road condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1999 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bass, Arkansas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech J35 · all J35s on the register
- Registration
- N735B · no longer on the register · serial D-5563
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departing Bogalusa, Louisiana, the pilot obtained a 'weather briefing from the Pan Am weather system. The pilot reported that while en route to Springfield, Missouri, he encountered broken and solid clouds below his cruise altitude of 6,500 feet msl. When he arrived at Springfield, the clouds below were solid, and the ATIS was reporting 500 foot ceilings. The pilot turned 180 degrees to return to an area of 'broken overcast to land and refuel.' The pilot then elected to perform a precautionary landing to a county road because 'he was getting low on fuel and the weather conditions were deteriorating.' The touchdown and rollout on the gravel road were uneventful; however, the road curved to the left, and the airplane continued straight colliding with a fence.
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: 1,401 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,281 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 8, 1999; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BXA Bogalusa LA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: SGF Springfield MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from HRO, 25 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.