Beech V35 accident near Bassett, Nebraska, January 13, 1986
On January 13, 1986 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N376B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bassett, Nebraska (Rock County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1986 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bassett, Nebraska · Rock County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N376B · registry record · serial D5157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING HIS ACFT AT BASSETT, NEBRASKA THE PLT RPTD A GUST OF WIND HIT THE ACFT FM BEHIND AND HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL VEERING OFF INTO A SNOW BANK. THE PLT STATED THAT TWO WITNESSES WHO WERE WALKING NEAR THE RWY TOLD HIM NO WIND WAS BLOWING WHEN THE ACFT FIRST TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RWY. AFTER TOUCHING DOWN ON THE RWY, THE WITNESSES REPORTED A GUST OF WIND STRUCK THE REAR OF THE ACFT. WIND OBSERVATIONS OBTAINED FM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OBSERVER LOCATED IN AINSWORTH, NEBRASKA 19 N.M. WEST OF BASSETT SHOWED WINDS FM 290 DEG. AT 15 KTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT CHOSE TO LAND ON RWY 13 AFTER SEEING THE WINDSOCK HANGING DOWN. THE WITNESSES STATED THE WIND HAD BEEN BLOWING ERRATICALLY MOST OF THE DAY, POSSIBLY GIVING THE PLT A FALSE INDICATION OF WND CONDITIONS. THE ARPT TETRAHEDRON, ANOTHER SOURCE OF WND DIRECTION, SHOWED THE WND WAS BLOWING FM THE NW MAKING A LANDING TO RWY 31 THE APPROPRIATE CHOICE.
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: 744 hours in all; 256 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,829 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1986; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OLU Columbus NE at 6:30 pm
- Destination: RBE Bassett NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Observation at 7:45 pm from A1A, 19 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.