Beech 35 accident near Walla Walla, Washington, January 16, 1991
On January 16, 1991 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N3081V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Walla Walla, Washington. 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
IMPROPER STATIC BALANCE OF THE RUDDERVATORS FOLLOWING REBUILDING/REPAINTING, WHICH RESULTED IN EMPENNAGE FLUTTER. IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE TRIM TABS AND AN ENCOUNTER WITH TURBULENCE WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 1991 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Walla Walla, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N3081V · no longer on the register · serial D-496
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT DRG DSCNT, AT ABOUT 150 KTS, TURBULENCE WAS ENCTRD & THE RUDDER PEDALS BEGAN SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY ALONG WITH THE WHOLE ACFT, MAINLY THE EMPENNAGE. PULLING BACK ON THE CONTROL COLUMN & PUSHING ON THE RUDDER PEDALS CAUSED THE SHAKING TO SUBSIDE. A LANDING WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. ALTHOUGH THE AFT FUSELAGE SKIN WAS WRINKLED, THE ACFT CONTINUED TO BE FLOWN FOR SVRL MONTHS. A SUBSEQUENT INSPN DISCLOSED THAT ALL 4 CORNERS OF THE AFT FUSELAGE BULKHEAD WERE CRACKED. THE STATIC BALANCE OF EACH RUDDERVATOR WAS MEASURED & FOUND TO BE EXCESSIVELY TAIL HEAVY. ALSO, BOTH RUDDERVATOR TRIM TABS HAD BEEN INSTALLED IMPROPERLY, RESULTING IN FREE PLAY AT THE HINGE LINE. NO LEAD BALANCING WASHERS WERE FOUND IN EITHER RUDDERVATOR COUNTERWEIGHT HOUSING. THE THICKNESS OF PAINT ON THE RUDDERVATORS EXCEEDED THE MANUFACTURER'S FACTORY ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA.
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: 94 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWS Lewiston ID at 9:30 pm
- Destination: ALW Walla Walla WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.