Beech 36 accident near Monument Valley, Utah, April 4, 2019
On April 4, 2019 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 2009 Beech 36, registered N925SF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Monument Valley, Utah (Monument Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 directional control and runway heading during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and the nose landing gear collapsing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 2019 · about 5:45 pm local time · cases in 2019
- Place
- Monument Valley, Utah · Monument Valley · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 36 G36, built 2009 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N925SF · registry record · serial E-3914
- 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, during approach to a private airstrip, the electronic primary flight display reported that the wind was from the south at 16 knots. He added that, upon touchdown, the airplane quickly veered left. He added power to correct, and "the addition of power was enough to lift the airplane slightly, but not to take off again, and so after [the airplane] floated a short distance, [it] landed again off the side of the runway." The nose landing gear collapsed in the dirt. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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 defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Heading/course › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft surface › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 293 hours in all; 142 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 231 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 7, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,019.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 3,650 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B39B (piston); 1,019 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AEG Albuquerque NM at 4:15 pm
- Destination: UT25 Monument Valley UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KBDG, 48 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of damaged right wing from rear of airplane
Photo 2 – View of damaged right wing rear sparThe 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 1, 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 | Accident 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
- N925SF 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-B39B 3,077 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Monument Valley Airport · nearest airport
- Double Eagle II Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Utah 1,440 since 1982 · 264 in the last ten years
- Utah 8,355 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/GAA19CA199.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.