Beech C35 accident near Gerlach, Nevada, August 30, 2003
On August 30, 2003 at about 2:00 am local time, a Beech C35, registered N607D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gerlach, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2003 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Gerlach, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · all C35s on the register
- Registration
- N607D · registry record · serial D-2863
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with terrain following a loss of engine power during takeoff from a temporary dirt strip. The pilot reported that after liftoff he rolled the engine back to 2,200 rpm and reduced the manifold pressure to 23 inches. He brought the gear up. The airplane was about 200 to 300 feet above ground level (agl) and climbing at 90 knots. The engine lost power, and the pilot made a forced landing with the landing gear retracted. All spark plugs were clean with no mechanical deformation, and the spark plug electrodes were light gray and circular. The engine rotated freely, and thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders in firing order. The top plugs for cylinders 2, 4, and 6 sparked with manual rotation of the crankshaft. Manual rotation of the right magneto produced spark at the leads for cylinders 1, 3, and 5. The fuel screen in the pressure carburetor was clean. Investigators put solvent into the inlet line of the fuel pump and manually rotated the pump. The pump rotated freely and fluid exited the outlet line.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 295 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Gerlach NV at 2:00 am
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from RNO, 80 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.