Beech G35 accident near Lexington, South Carolina, October 7, 2007
On October 7, 2007 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Beech G35, registered N4575D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, South Carolina (Columbia Owens Downtown Airpor 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 pilot's inadequate fuel management.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 7, 2007 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington, South Carolina · Columbia Owens Downtown Airpor · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech G35 · all G35s on the register
- Registration
- N4575D · no longer on the register · serial 4727
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight at 1,600 feet mean sea level, the engine "sputtered" and subsequently lost all power. At the time, the fuel selector was positioned to the left main fuel tank. The pilot attempted to restart the engine; however, the engine did not restart and the pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a road, substantially damaging the right wing. The pilot reported that he might have run the left fuel tank out of fuel. Examination of the left fuel tank revealed that it was empty, and the airplane had flown 2.16 hours since its last fueling. The left main fuel tank had a capacity of 22 gallons of fuel, and the engine consumed about 11 gallons per hour during cruise flight. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 223 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,619 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,945 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2006; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,775 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CUB Columbia SC at 8:00 pm
- Destination: CUB
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from CUB, 15 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.