BEECH V35B — Las Vegas, NM, 2012

BEECH V35B — Las Vegas, NM

1 fatal High-time pilotNightLow altitude

Date	May 11, 2012
Location	Las Vegas, NM
Aircraft	BEECH V35B
Purpose of flight	Personal
Conditions	Night/Dark · Visual Meteorological Cond
Phase / occurrence	Maneuvering Loss of control in flight
Pilot age	63
Pilot total time	1,236 hrs · Experienced
Time in type	Unknown
Fatalities	1

Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of airplane control for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination revealed no evidence of preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB findings

Not determined-Not determined-(general)-(general)-Unknown/Not determined - C

What happened

The private pilot departed at night in his single-engine airplane from a remote airport and subsequently impacted terrain southeast of the airport. The airplane wreckage was dispersed over a large area and was heavily fragmented, consistent with a high-speed impact. Examination of the airplane and engine found no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot's logbook was found in the wreckage and was partially completed between 2005 and 2009. There were no logged entries of any night flight time, and the pilot’s most recent simulated instrument training was logged in 2005. The pilot's flight time/experience since 2009 is unknown except for a biennial flight review that was completed in 2011.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.