Beech 36 accident near Sedona, Arizona, December 19, 2018
On December 19, 2018 at about 10:30 pm local time, a 1976 Beech 36, registered N636M, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 the proper airspeed during landing, which resulted in the airplane landing too fast and too far down the runway to safely stop it.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2018 · about 10:30 pm local time · cases in 2018
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 36 A36, built 1976 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N636M · registry record · serial E-874
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was flying a recently purchased airplane. During initial climb, the front right cockpit door opened. He decided that the condition was unsafe and entered a left downwind to land. The approach end of the runway had rising terrain, and the airplane was too high and fast. About 200 ft above ground level, he decided to abort the landing, but the engine sputtered, and he continued the landing. The airplane overran the runway and collided with a fence. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and the elevator. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 11, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 3,780 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: 636M LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SEZ Sedona AZ at 10:30 pm
- Destination: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,132 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from KSEZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of damage to the leading edge of the left wing
Photo 2 – View of damage to the left wing and aileronThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 27, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N636M on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft 36 Bonanza 111 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B 374 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Sedona Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,985 since 1982 · 467 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,434 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/GAA19CA102.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.