Beech H-35 accident near Owyhee Reserv., Idaho, May 13, 1985
On May 13, 1985 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech H-35, registered N5425D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Owyhee Reserv., Idaho. 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 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 13, 1985 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Owyhee Reserv., Idaho
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H-35 · all H-35s on the register
- Registration
- N5425D · no longer on the register · serial D4940
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT DEPARTED FROM BOISE, IDAHO, ON THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK. FIFTEEN MINUTES INTO THE FLT THE PLT SWITCHED TO THE LEFT AUXILIARY TANK. SEVERAL MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE CEASED OPERATING DISPITE THE PLTS SWITCHING BACK TO THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK. AN ENGINE RESTART WAS NOT SUCCESSFUL. DUE TO VERY ROUGH TERRAIN, THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING ALONG A RIVER BANK WHERE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE. NO REASON FOR THE ENGINE FAILURE COULD BE DETERMINED.
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: 286 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BOI Boise ID at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm
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.
Other NTSB records under N5425D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.