Beech V35 accident near Hailey, Idaho, September 13, 2009
On September 13, 2009 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N81895, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Hailey, Idaho (Friedman Memorial Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing in crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2009 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hailey, Idaho · Friedman Memorial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N81895 · no longer on the register · serial D-8071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll on runway 31, the airplane encountered a crosswind. He was unable to maintain directional control and the airplane departed the runway surface. The nose wheel subsequently collapsed and a post-crash fire erupted in the engine compartment. Inspection of the airplane found that the firewall sustained substantial damage. The reported winds at the time of the accident were 190 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 18 knots. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 850 hours in all; 341 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,942 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 2009; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,250 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OLM Olympia WA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: SUN Hailey ID
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31, 7,550 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.75 inHg
- Observation at 9:46 pm from sun
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.