Beech V35 accident near Elko, Nevada, April 5, 2004
On April 5, 2004 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N7923M, was destroyed in an accident near Elko, Nevada (Elko airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper mixture leaning technique and failure to attain an adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in a stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2004 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Elko, Nevada · Elko · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N7923M · no longer on the register · serial D-8264
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane collided with terrain during the takeoff initial climb. The pilot arrived at the airport the previous day and asked several questions of a locally based flight instructor, saying he was concerned about mountainous operations and leaning the mixture on the engine. A certified flight instructor answered the pilot's questions and felt that the pilot appeared to be a low-time private pilot that had not flown recently. On the accident flight departure, the pilot crossed a runway hold line while taxiing to the runway for takeoff. The air traffic controller queried the pilot and the pilot, who then requested a different runway. During the takeoff roll, the pilot queried the tower controller if there were noise abatement procedures. The airplane traveled approximately 5,000 feet down the 7,214-foot-runway prior to lifting off. It continued down the runway about 12 feet above ground level, and pilot witnesses said the engine did not sound like it was producing full power. The witnesses said the airplane was "wallowing" as it flew down the length of the remaining runway. The airplane barely cleared the airport perimeter fence and touched down about 80 yards from the fence. After the airplane collided with a series of obstacles, a post-impact fire consumed the airplane. Post accident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector prior to disturbance of the wreckage revealed that the cockpit mixture control was approximately 3 inches aft of its full rich position. The engine was installed in an instrumented test cell and it ran smoothly, though it only produced a maximum of 2,550 rpm during the test run. The airport elevation is 5,140 feet msl. Based on the pilot's logbook entries, he had limited mountain flying experience and normally took a southern route when flying across country.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,075 hours in all; 350 in this make and model
- Last flight review: July 2, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EKO Elko NV at 3:20 pm
- Destination: BLM Belmar NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 7,214 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from EKO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.