Beech N35 accident near Conicville, Virginia, April 22, 2000
On April 22, 2000 at about 4:41 pm local time, a Beech N35, registered N1253Z, was destroyed in an accident near Conicville, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's in-flight decision to continue flight into IMC conditions, and his failure to maintain control of the airplane. Factors related to the accident were the failure of the vacuum pump and the pilot's lack of recent instrument time.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2000 · about 4:41 pm local time
- Place
- Conicville, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech N35 · all N35s on the register
- Registration
- N1253Z · no longer on the register · serial D-6719
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight at 9,000 feet, the pilot radioed air traffic control (ATC) that he experienced a gyro failure and "I do not have any artificial horizon my gyro uh I got the compass and the airspeed indicator...I uh I have to stay on top cause I haven't got my artificial horizon." The controller then observed the airplane climbing to a higher altitude and stated to the pilot, "I'm showing you at uh nine thousand eight hundred I don't have any traffic in that area if you can't hold an altitude that's fine just do the best you can." The pilot replied to the controller , "try to see what uh what I can rely on here and what I can't take it back to nine uh it's startin to open up here right now." When the pilot was asked by the controller if he could descend to 7,000 feet and stay on top, the pilot replied, "right now I'm pre I'm almost I'm in the clouds right now." The airplane separated into pieces and descended to the ground. The pilot's last recorded log book entry for flight in actual instrument conditions was about 30 months prior to the accident, which was for 1.3 hours. The pilot's last endorsement for an instrument competency check was about 5 years prior to the accident flight. Examination of the vacuum pump drive shaft with a binocular microscope revealed circular features consistent with torsional overstress. Weather reported at an airport 35 miles south of the accident site included scattered clouds at 4,400 feet, and broken clouds at 8,000 and 10,000 feet.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,553 hours in all; 1,401 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,589 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 27, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 78D Caro MI at 2:21 pm
- Destination: PHF Newport News VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:42 pm from SHD, 35 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.