What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On March 29, 2014, at 1834 EST, a Beechcraft bonanza S-35, N8985M, privacy data omitted piloted by a private individual holding a commercial pilots license, operating as a 14 CFR part 91 flight, departed X23 (umatilla municipal) for kmth (Marathon Airport). At 2016 EST, pilot closed IFR flight plan with ATC, aircraft was at 1900 ft MSL & 80-90 knots at the time. The pilot retarded the throttle to 15" pressure and descended, pilot was attempting a straight in approach. At 1500FT MSL, the pilot extended flaps and gear, then noticed by the voltmeter, that the upper landing light did not come on and started to "fiddle" with the switch. All the while the throttle was still retarded to 15" pressure, when they were supposed to be moved to 22? Pressure after the landing gear and flaps were extended. The pilot was unaware that the aircraft was in a descent until splash down into the gulf, 2.5 miles from the approach end of runway 25 at mth, at approximately 2020 local time.
As the FAA filed it
ON MARCH 29, 2014, AT 1834 EST, A BEECHCRAFT BONANZA S-35, N8985M, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PILOTED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL HOLDING A COMMERCIAL PILOTS LICENSE, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT, DEPARTED X23 (UMATILLA MUNICIPAL) FOR KMTH (MARATHON AIRPORT). AT 2016 EST, PILOT CLOSED IFR FLIGHT PLAN WITH ATC, AIRCRAFT WAS AT 1900 FT MSL & 80-90 KNOTS AT THE TIME. THE PILOT RETARDED THE THROTTLE TO 15" PRESSURE AND DESCENDED, PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING A STRAIGHT IN APPROACH. AT 1500FT MSL, THE PILOT EXTENDED FLAPS AND GEAR, THEN NOTICED BY THE VOLTMETER, THAT THE UPPER LANDING LIGHT DID NOT COME ON AND STARTED TO "FIDDLE" WITH THE SWITCH. ALL THE WHILE THE THROTTLE WAS STILL RETARDED TO 15" PRESSURE, WHEN THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO BE MOVED TO 22? PRESSURE AFTER THE LANDING GEAR AND FLAPS WERE EXTENDED. THE PILOT WAS UNAWARE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A DESCENT UNTIL SPLASH DOWN INTO THE GULF, 2.5 MILES FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 25 AT MTH, AT APPROXIMATELY 2020 LOCAL TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.