Beechcraft J35 N617Q
6 November 2020 · Fredericksburg, Texas, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 6 November 2020 at about 22:38 local time, a Beechcraft J35 registered N617Q was involved in an accident near Fredericksburg, Texas, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:38
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fredericksburg, Texas, United States
- Coordinates
- 30.2489, -98.9445
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft J35
- Registration
- N617Q
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1958
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN21FA043
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot of the J35’s failure to maintain clearance from the M35, which resulted in a midair collision and the J35 pilot’s subsequent loss of control and impact with terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The accident flight was a planned four-airplane formation practice flight. A Beech J35 was the flight leader and departed first along with a Beech M35. The third and fourth airplanes departed shortly thereafter. After takeoff, the M35’s landing gear would not retract, and the M35 moved to the “route” position (about 3 to 4 airplane widths away from the J35) to troubleshoot the landing gear problem. The third and fourth airplanes departed the formation, and the pilot of the J35 directed the pilot of the M35 to take the lead position back to the airport. While on downwind before turning onto the base leg, the pilot and observer of the M35 heard a loud “bang/wham,” and the airplane violently shook. The M35’s propeller assembly separated from the airplane and the pilot performed a forced landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its fuselage and left wing. The J35 entered an uncontrolled descent, impacted terrain, and was destroyed by postimpact fire. Postaccident examination of the airplanes revealed that the J35’s propeller contacted the left forward side of the M35. Evidence of propeller contact was noted on the M35 engine, engine cowling, and nose wheel tire. Both airplanes were operating in the same landing gear and flap configurations at the time of the collision. A performance study showed that, about one second before the collision, the M35’s descent rate increased from 350 ft/min to 750 ft/min. Based on the available information, the accident is consistent with the J35 pilot’s failure to maintain separation from the M35 while maneuvering.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beechcraft J35 | N617Q | - | Destroyed |
| Beechcraft M35 | N338Z | - | Substantial |
Other Beechcraft J35 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Aug 2024 | Beechcraft J35 | Belgrade, Montana, United States | - | Unknown | - |
| 24 Jun 2013 | Beechcraft J35 | Helena, Montana, United States | Brent E Vetter | Fatal | 1 |
| 16 Dec 2011 | Beechcraft J35 | Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States | Becker Lawrence D | No injuries | - |
| 26 Jan 2010 | Beechcraft J35 | Russellville, Arkansas, United States | BGE Enterprises LLC | No injuries | - |
| 5 Nov 2007 | Beechcraft J35 | Fort Worth, Texas, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 7 Mar 2006 | Beechcraft J35 | Holland, Michigan, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Jun 2020 | Cessna 182 | Winfield, Texas, United States | Brentco Aerial Patrol | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 May 2020 | MD Helicopters 369 | Houston, Texas, United States | City Of Houston | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Dec 2020 | Piper PA-30 | Navasota, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jun 2020 | CubCrafters CC19-180 | Fredericksburg, Texas, United States | Kgnf, LLC | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 2020 | Piper PA32R | Zavalla, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 6 Nov 2020 | Cirrus SR20 | Fort Worth, Texas, United States | Plane Smart! Aviation | No injuries | - |