Beech N35 accident near Baker, Oregon, April 6, 1984
On April 6, 1984 at about 2:57 am local time, a Beech N35, registered N1270Z, was destroyed in an accident near Baker, Oregon (Baker Municipal airport). It was a business 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 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
- April 6, 1984 · about 2:57 am local time
- Place
- Baker, Oregon · Baker Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech N35 · all N35s on the register
- Registration
- N1270Z · no longer on the register · serial D-6716
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ENCOUNTERED AIRFRAME ICING WHILE EN ROUTE DURING A X-COUNTRY FLT. HE HAD FILED AN INSTRUMENT FLT PLAN TO BOISE, ID, BUT EN ROUTE, HE CHANGED DESTINATIONS TWICE, 1ST TO ONTARIO, OR, THEN LATER TO BAKER, ID. AT 1820 PDT, HE REPORTED ICING & TURBULENCE AT 10,000 FT. HE WAS CLEARED FOR AN APCH TO BAKER, DURING WHICH, HE REPORTED MORE ICING. AT 1850, HE REPORTED GROUND LIGHTS IN SIGHT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE BAKER FSS SPECIALIST SIGHTED A FIREBALL, NORTH OF THE ARPT. THE ACFT WAS FOUND 7 MILES NORTH OF THE ARPT NEAR A HIGHWAY REST STOP WITH HIGH VISIBILITY, SODIUM VAPOR LIGHTS. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE GEAR HAD BEEN EXTENDED, BUT THE FLAPS WERE UP. THE PROP WAS EMBEDDED IN A CRATER. THE PROP SHAFT HAD SHEARED, BOTH BLADES WERE SLIGHTLY BENT & HAD CHORDWISE SCORING & LEADING EDGE NICKS. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST NEXT TO THE IMPACT POINT. BOTH WINGS HAD SEVERE CHORDWISE CRUSHING FROM FORE TO AFT.
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: 622 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,128 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1983; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FAT Fresno CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 13 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:08 am from BKE, 7 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.