Beech 35 accident near Aurora, Oregon, June 10, 1996
On June 10, 1996 at about 4:00 am local time, a Beech 35, registered N2145D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Oregon (Aurora State airport). 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
failure of the non-certificated pilot to ensure that the landing gear was properly extended for landing. The non-certificated pilot's diverted attention was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 1996 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Aurora, Oregon · Aurora State · 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
- N2145D · no longer on the register · serial D3490
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passenger held a commercial pilot certificate, but did not have a current medical certificate. According to him, the non-certificated pilot/owner was attempting a touch-and-go landing, when they were both distracted by a call from the pilot of another aircraft which was on an instrument approach to the same airport. Neither the passenger nor the pilot/owner realized the gear was not down until the tail of the aircraft contacted the asphalt runway. The aircraft then slid to a stop on its belly. Although the pilot/owner claimed the passenger was the pilot-in-command, the passenger said he did not realize the pilot/owner did not hold a pilot certificate until advised of that situation after the accident; he said that he would not have flown with the pilot/owner had he been aware of this fact. The aircraft had not been certificated as airworthy, per annual inspection, within the previous 12 months.
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
- Flight time: 100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,452 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S2 Aurora OR at 3:50 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,104 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.