Beech V35B accident near Columbus, Ohio, May 21, 1999
On May 21, 1999 at about 1:30 am local time, a Beech V35B, registered N7355R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State University airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the pilot to follow the procedures in the Pilot's Operating Handbook, and the use of tip tanks for level flight only, which resulted in fuel starvation. A factor was the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 1999 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Ohio State University · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7355R · no longer on the register · serial D-9649
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flying club airplane departed on a night cross-country flight in VMC. En route the pilot noticed the lights dimming, and static on the radios. He elected to return to his departure airport, and en route the lights dimmed further. The electrically powered landing gear could not be extended. With the fuel selector on the right tip tank, the pilot made a steep left turn from base to final and experienced a power loss. He conducted a gear-up forced landing in a residential area street. A small post crash fire developed which was quickly extinguished. Post crash examination found the alternator switch off. Testing revealed no problems with the alternator or battery. The pilot had not been checked out in the airplane and was not authorized by the flying club to fly the airplane. In addition, he was not familiar with emergency landing gear extension procedures for the airplane. According to the airplane flight manual, use of the tip tanks was restricted to level flight.
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: 500 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,333 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 1999; 87 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Aero Squadron
The flight
- Departed from: OSU at 11:50 pm
- Destination: ACY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9R, 5,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 070° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from OSU, 1 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.