Beech 35 accident near Caldwell, Idaho, November 23, 2019
On November 23, 2019 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1968 Beech 35, registered N7956M, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Caldwell, Idaho (Caldwell Industrial 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
The total loss of engine power due to the separation of the wastegate exhaust elbow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 2019 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Caldwell, Idaho · Caldwell Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 V35A, built 1968 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N7956M · registry record · serial D-8823
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, about 400 ft above ground level (agl), the engine began to run rough followed by a noticeable power loss. Smoke began to fill the cockpit, which appeared to be coming from the lower left firewall area. The engine continued to lose power and the pilot switched the fuel source to the right main fuel tank; however, there was no change, the engine lost total power, and the propeller stopped turning. The pilot made the decision to return to the runway; as the airplane neared the ground, it stalled, bounced, and then impacted the runway and the VASI/PAPI light structure. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the wastegate exhaust elbow separated from the wastegate and the tail pipe causing exhaust gas to melt the magneto P-leads, which resulted in a loss of engine power. The exhaust system was further examined, and the “V-band” clamp torque was verified to be at least 40-inch pounds (the appropriate amount); however, the tail pipe was not secure to the turbocharger despite the “V-band” clamp being torqued to the proper value. Visual inspection of the exhaust system components did not reveal any other anomalies, and the reason for the exhaust elbow separation could not be determined.
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 engine power (total) during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, military, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,850 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 3,810 as pilot in command; 30 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 11, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 2019; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental Aerospace Technolo TSIO-520D (piston); 71 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from KEUL
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEUL 232056Z AUTO 10003KT 10SM CLR 08/M03 A3036 RMK AO2 SLP298 T00781033 58024=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N7956M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR20LA033.