Beech V35B accident near Alva, OK
On November 4, 2017, a Beech V35B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Alva, OK. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 4, 2017
- Place
- Alva, OK
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.788°N, 98.671°W
- NTSB ID
- 20171104X12527
Official records · CEN18FA023
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn November 4, 2017, at 1728 central daylight time, a Beech V35B (Bonanza) airplane, N777PH, impacted terrain during approach to Alva Regional Airport (AVK), Alva, Oklahoma. The pilot and flight instructor were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to the pilot who was operating it under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 . Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight, which departed AVK about 1710. According to a state trooper who spoke with the pilot at an emergency room, the pilot and flight instructor flew to Cherokee Municipal Airport, Cherokee, Oklahoma, for a practice approach and were returning to AVK when the accident occurred. The pilot stated that he and the flight instructor noticed that the left engine cowling had "popped up" during the approach to AVK. Subsequently, the flight instructor assumed control of the airplane. About 1/2 mile before reaching the runway 18 threshold, the airplane collided with trees and a power line, which were about 40 ft higher than the airport's elevation. The airplane came to rest inverted on its left side, and a postcrash fire ensued. The pilot and flight instructor egressed the airplane with their clothes on fire. The flight instructor was unable to move away from the wreckage during the postcrash fire and subsequent explosion and died at the accident site. The pilot climbed a hill next to the airplane, and responders helped him extinguish his burning clothes. The pilot was taken to
Probable cause
The flight instructor's and pilot's failure to recognize that a high descent rate had developed on short final, likely due to their distraction by an open engine cowling, and the unexpected strong pitch-down force during flap extension due to the installation in the airplane of a Short Takeoff and Landing system.
More accidents in OK
- Cessna 421C, Sep 4, 1983
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Browse: Oklahoma · Beech aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
