Beechcraft BE-35 N3157V

Summary

On 20 May 2002 at about 15:50 local time, a Beechcraft BE-35 registered N3157V was involved in an accident near Stephenville, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 May 2002 at 15:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Stephenville, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Clark Field Muni (SEP)

Coordinates

32.2153, -98.1775

Aircraft

Beechcraft BE-35

Registration

N3157V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Stephenville → Stephenville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW02FA155

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain control and adequate airspeed, resulting in the inadvertent stall/spin. A contributing factor was the low altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses reported that they heard the pilot over the UNICOM report base and observed the landing gear and flaps in the down position. The witnesses observed the left wing "drop" and the aircraft nose over to what appeared to be a 90-degree angle. According to one of the witnesses, the airplane was approximately 400-500 feet AGL when the "aircraft went vertical." Another witness observed the aircraft at a low altitude and reported that the speed "appeared to be slow" until just as the aircraft went over "front" first, dipping towards the right wing and then nosed down. A review of the maintenance records indicated no evidence of any uncorrected maintenance discrepancies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.