Beech BE-35-F35 accident near Bamberg, South Carolina, July 21, 2001
On July 21, 2001 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Beech BE-35-F35, registered N5058S, was destroyed in an accident near Bamberg, South Carolina (Bamberg County airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed, while attempting a forced landing following a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin, and subsequent impact with the terrain. A factor in this accident was impairment due to drugs/medication.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 2001 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bamberg, South Carolina · Bamberg County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-35-F35
- Registration
- N5058S · no longer on the register · serial D-4367
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had flown the airplane in to have maintenance performed at the airport, on June 12, 2001, and returned to pick up the airplane on the morning of July 21, 2001. There was no one at the airport that could say they observed the pilot perform a pre-flight inspection before he got into the airplane. He departed about 2 minutes after paying his bill. Witnesses heard a rough running engine, and observed the airplane reach an altitude of 200-300 feet above ground level, clear wires at the departure end of the runway, turn to the left with the left wing almost perpendicular to the ground, the nose went down, the airplane impacted into a cotton field and burst into flames. A witness said, "it stalled and came straight down." Examination of the engine did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction. Toxicology test showed that the following drugs were found in the pilot's blood, liver, and kidney: Propoxyphene, Norpropoxyphene, Fluoxetine, and Norfluoxetine. Medical records revealed that the pilot was taking prescribed medication for "frequent or severe headaches." It is likely that the pilot was impaired at the time of the accident by the effects of propoxyphene, and possibly by the effects of narcotic dependence.
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: 1,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,221.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 2001; 0.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 99N Bamberg SC at 1:15 pm
- Destination: 73J Beaufort SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from OGB, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.