Beech V35B accident near Hesperia, California, April 26, 1992
On April 26, 1992 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N14WK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hesperia, California (Herperia 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 INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE DOWNDRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1992 · about 10:00 pm local time · cases in 1992
- Place
- Hesperia, California · Herperia · 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 V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N14WK · registry record · serial D9633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE PILOT DELAYED IN CORRECTING FOR THIS CONDITION AND LANDED HARD. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SKID TO THE LEFT AND COLLIDE WITH THE VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE INDICATOR LIGHT.
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: 531 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 510 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 1991; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA10 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sun Valley AZ at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,910 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N14WK on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft V35 Bonanza 1,661 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA10 9,482 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Hesperia Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,134 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX92LA191.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.