Beech A35 accident near Vancouver, Washington, October 27, 1992
On October 27, 1992 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Beech A35, registered N8501A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vancouver, Washington. It was a personal 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
DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE EXCEEDED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 1992 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vancouver, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A35 · all A35s on the register
- Registration
- N8501A · registry record · serial D1923
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IT WAS REPORTED SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER THE OCCURRENCE, THAT WRINKLES IN THE SKIN WERE FOUND NEAR THE EMPENNAGE DURING A PREFLIGHT CHECK. FURTHER INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE AFT BULKHEAD AND STRINGERS WERE DAMAGED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN REPAINTED, THEN UNDERWENT AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FLOWN APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS AFTER THE ANNUAL INSPECTION. SEVERAL DAYS AFTER THE LAST FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTED THE WRINKLES IN THE FUSELAGE. A MECHANIC INSPECTED THE AIRPLANE AND REPORTED THAT THE BALANCE OF BOTH RUDDERVATORS WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN LIMITS AS SPECIFIED IN THE BEECH MAINTENANCE MANUAL. THE PILOT DOES NOT RECALL ANY TIME IN WHICH THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED BEYOND THE AIRCRAFT OPERATING SPECIFICATIONS.
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: 1,578 hours in all; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1992; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental 225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.