Beech S35 accident near St. Johns, Arizona, July 16, 2002
On July 16, 2002, a Beech S35, registered N864T, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Johns, Arizona (St. Johns Industrial Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 airplane control following an encounter with a wind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2002
- Place
- St. Johns, Arizona · St. Johns Industrial Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N864T · no longer on the register · serial D-7580
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost control of the airplane upon encountering a wind gust during landing rollout on runway 21. During the sequence, the left wing contacted the runway surface and the airplane veered off the runway. Before landing, the pilot had flown over the airport, observed its windsock, and received the automated weather information. Nothing unusual occurred during the final approach. Following the gust encounter, the pilot regained control of the airplane and redirected it back onto the runway. Five minutes earlier, the local weather report indicated that the wind was from 300 degrees at 4 knots. There were no reports of gusts.
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
- Flight time: 214 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPS Shepard Afb TX at 8:00 pm
- Destination: SJN St. Johns AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 21, 3,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from KSJN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.