Beechcraft 300 N534AW

Summary

On 5 August 2025 at about 18:45 local time, a Beechcraft 300 registered N534AW, operated by CSI Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Chinle, Arizona, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

5 August 2025 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Chinle, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Chinle Municipal Airport (E91)

Coordinates

36.1151, -109.5779

Aircraft

Beechcraft 300

Registration

N534AW

Category

Airplane

Year built

1988

Engines

2

Operator

CSI Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Phoenix

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

NTSB number

WPR25FA240

4 people died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.