Beech J35 accident near Belgrade, Montana, August 28, 2024
On August 28, 2024, a 1958 Beech J35, registered N8350D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Belgrade, Montana (Bozeman Yellowstone Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2024
- Place
- Belgrade, Montana · Bozeman Yellowstone Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech J35, built 1958 · all J35s on the register
- Registration
- N8350D · registry record · serial D-5444
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 27, 2024, about 1845 mountain daylight time, a Beech J35, N8350D, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Belgrade, Montana. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, a new pitch trim servo was recently installed as part of the autopilot system update on the airplane prior to the accident flight. The pilot completed a post-maintenance preflight and departed without incident. The pilot started that he conducted a straight-in approach to runway 30 at Bozeman-Yellowstrone International Airport, Bozeman, Montana, about 45-minutes after departure. During the landing flare, he felt the control yoke "jam up" and that it felt as though it "broke free" when he increased aft backpressure on the yoke. The control yoke "jammed up" a second time shortly after the pilot attempted to level the aircraft for landing, and when he applied additional forward movement, the control yoke "broke free" again. Subsequently, the airplane landed hard. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the lower engine mount structure was substantially damage. Additionally, one of the pitch servo bridle cable clamp assemblies (figure 1) appeared to be binding on bulkhead assembly, station 179, a control cable tunnel guide. Figure 1. View of bridle cable clamp slightly aft of the bulkhead assembly at station 179. The airplane was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: BIL Billings MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 13 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.91 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from KBZN, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBZN 280056Z 23013G20KT 10SM CLR 27/00 A2991 RMK AO2 PK WND 25026/0017 SLP099 T02720000=
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR24LA323.