Beech B35 accident near Helena, Montana, July 24, 2025
On July 24, 2025 at about 3:45 am local time, a 1950 Beech B35, registered N5204C, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Helena, Montana (Helena Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to properly configure the airplane during a go-around which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2025 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Helena, Montana · Helena Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B35, built 1950 · all B35s on the register
- Registration
- N5204C · registry record · serial D-2549
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning to his home airport and approached the airport from the north. He was initially cleared to land runway 27 but requested to land runway 17 because he was conveniently aligned with it. When about five miles from the airport he slowed the airplane, lowered the landing gear, and “pulled the throttle all the way back.” He stated that he did not recall “raising the propeller speed.” He further stated that he was too high, and extended the flaps to full down, which was something he normally did not do. During the landing flare, he waited for the airplane to settle onto the runway. He realized that the airplane had not touched down as it passed the midpoint of the 2,989 ft long runway and initiated a go-around. During the go-around, the pilot initially thought he had pushed the throttle control full forward, but when “nothing happened,” he looked down and realized he had pushed the mixture control forward. He added throttle and felt the airplane pick up speed. The pilot recalled that he pulled the yoke back to clear the airport perimeter fence and felt the airplane climb. The pilot stated that he had a positive rate of climb and thought he was high enough to begin a left turn and considered raising the flaps and contacting the tower when the airplane impacted the ground and slid into a building. A security video captured the airplane in a wings level attitude beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane appeared to reach a height of about 20 ft above ground level before the left wing dropped and the airplane descended. Subsequently, it impacted a road and slid into a building, which resulted in substantial damage to both wings. Postaccident pictures of the airplane showed that the landing gear was extended and the flaps were retracted. The throttle control was pulled out about ½-inch, and the mixture control was about 1 ½-inch from full forward. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 692 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 610 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,160 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 2025; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E225-8 (piston); 5,746 hours total
- Operator: Peace Sign LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GTF Great Falls MT at 3:10 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17/3, 2,989 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 71°F (22°C), dew point 35°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 26.09 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from HLN
Weather report (METAR): 9:53 PM 71 °F 35 °F 27 % W 8 mph 0 mph 26.09 in 0.0 in Fair
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on September 26, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Records of Conversation with Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | POH Extract | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Security Video | video | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR25LA221.