Beech N35 accident near Fallon, Nevada, August 14, 1988
On August 14, 1988 at about 4:30 am local time, a Beech N35, registered N25EM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fallon, Nevada (Fallon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- August 14, 1988 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Fallon, Nevada · Fallon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech N35 · all N35s on the register
- Registration
- N25EM · no longer on the register · serial D6724
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ENG LOST POWER ON PRACTICE MISSED APPROACH. FORCED LANDING MADE IN ROUGH TERRAIN. INVESTIGATION REVEALED RIGHT FUEL TANK EMPTY, LEFT TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 25 GALS. FUEL SELECTOR HAD NO POSITIVE STOP AT 'OFF' POSITION, NO DETENT FOR RIGHT TANK POSITION. LEFT TANK DETENT FOUND TO BE BETWEEN 'OFF' AND 'RIGHT TANK.'
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,910 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,850 as pilot in command; 1,060 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 1987; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,125 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 am from RNO, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.