Beech C35 accident near Rhinebeck, New York, September 4, 1994
On September 4, 1994 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Beech C35, registered N5291C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rhinebeck, New York (Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and inaccurate fuel consumption calculations, resulting in fuel starvation and engine failure, and the subsequent collision with trees during a forced landing. A factor related to the accident was the turbulent air conditions during the approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1994 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Rhinebeck, New York · Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · all C35s on the register
- Registration
- N5291C · no longer on the register · serial D-2681
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE AND DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 12 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD. HIS DESTINATION WAS 12 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, AND THE ESTIMATED EN ROUTE TIME WAS 15 MINUTES. THE PILOT DECIDED TO NOT REFUEL THE AIRPLANE PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE PILOT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND ESTABLISHED A VFR FINAL APPROACH TO LAND ON RUNWAY 36. HE REPORTED THE 'AIR WAS QUITE ROUGH,' AND THE ENGINE 'SUDDENLY SLOWED DOWN AND STOPPED.' THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE WAS TOO LOW TO ATTEMPT A RESTART, OR REACH THE RUNWAY; THEREFORE, THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND THE AIRPLANE IN THE TREES. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, 'THE TROUBLE WAS PROBABLY CAUSED BY THE ROUGH AIR SLOSHING THE FUEL IN THE LEFT TANK, CAUSING SLUGS OF AIR TO ENTER THE FUEL LINE TO THE FUEL PUMP.'
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,515 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1994; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: POU Poughkeepsie NY at 5:57 pm
- Destination: NY94
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from POU, 12 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.