Beech V35-TC accident near Wendling, Oregon, May 25, 1983
On May 25, 1983 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Beech V35-TC, registered N7980M, was destroyed in an accident near Wendling, Oregon. It was an executive or corporate 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 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
- May 25, 1983 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Wendling, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35-TC · all V35-TCs on the register
- Registration
- N7980M · no longer on the register · serial 8267
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND DENSE BRUSH DURING AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING IN IMC WEATHER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOTHE WAS ABOUT 10 MINUTES INTO A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT AT 4000 FEET MSL WHEN FUEL PRESSURE DROPPED AND HE LOST ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT SWITCHED TANKS, CHECKED CIRCUIT BREAKERS, MAGNETOS AND HIGH BOOST FUEL PUMP. THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTARTTHE PILOT DESCENDED THROUGH THE OVERCAST AND BROKE OUT AT 500 FEET AGL. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH SEVERAL TREES AND A CONCRETE BLOCK BEFORE COMING TO REST IN DEEP BRUSH. ENGINE TEARDOWN SHOWED BOOST PUMPS INOPERATIVE, THE MAIN FUEL LINE WAS LOOSE AT THE FIREWALL AND THE FUEL SCREEN HAS SOME DEBRIS IN IT. THE THROTTLE CONTROL ASSEMBLY WAS FOUND TO BE LEAKING PAST THE SHAFT O RING INTO THE INTAKE AREA.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 1,900 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 4,270 as pilot in command; 990 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,822 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 1983; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TS10-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0R78 Eugene OR at 4:45 pm
- Destination: S07 Bend OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from EUG, 20 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.