Beech 300 accident near Chinle, Arizona, August 5, 2025
On August 5, 2025 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1988 Beech 300, registered N534AW, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Chinle, Arizona (Chinle Municipal Airport). It was a positioning flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people were killed.
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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 5, 2025 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Chinle, Arizona · Chinle Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Beech 300, built 1988 · all 300s on the register
- Registration
- N534AW · registry record · serial FA154
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 5, 2025, about 1245 mountain daylight time, a Beech 300, N534AW, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Chinle, Arizona. The pilot, co-pilot and two medical crew members were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 positioning flight. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data and air traffic control radar data showed that the airplane departed Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ) Albuquerque, New Mexico about 1155, climbed to 18,000 ft mean sea level (msl) and proceeded direct to Chinle Municipal Airport (E91) Chinle, Arizona. About 1229 the airplane began a descent and about 1239, the airplane entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 36. About 1240, while about 6,600 ft, the airplane turned right and entered the base leg. The last radar data point recorded the airplane about 6,100 ft, and about 2.8 miles southeast of the runway 36 threshold. According to a witness, who was located about one quarter mile from the airport, he observed the airplane on a northbound heading over the runway while flying about 180 ft above ground level (agl). The left wing banked erratically multiple times and then leveled off, at which time the airplane pitched up. The left wing then dropped into a knife edge attitude, while the airplane descended to the ground and immediately erupted in flames. The airplane impacted open terrain about 990 ft west of runway 36 at an elevation of about 5,510 ft. A path of disturbed terrain and vegetation extended about 281 ft from the main wreckage and included multiple airframe components. A postaccident fire thermally damaged the fuselage and wings. A cockpit voice recorder was recovered from the airplane and shipped to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for download. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 14,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Csi Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: ABQ Albuquerque NM
- Destination: IWA Phoenix AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 6,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KRQE, 37 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRQE 051853Z AUTO 27014G28KT 10SM CLR 32/M01 A3038 RMK AO2 PK WND 25028/1849 SLP139 T03171006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 4 |
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.
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 WPR25FA240.