# Accident 20210926016399A: Beech S35, Billings, MT, September 26, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 26, 2021, 19:00 local time
- Place: Billings, MT
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.7159° N, 108.5773° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7159&lon=-108.5773&mi=10
- Aircraft: N354M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N354M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech S35 (registry code 1151532, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-s35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH S35
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR21FA353](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21FA353) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210926016399A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2021, ABOUT 1922 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH S35 AIRPLANE, N354M, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR BILLINGS, MONTANA.  THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED, AND 2 PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED.  THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.

WITNESSES LOCATED NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED OBSERVING THE AIRPLANE ON FINAL FOR THE RUNWAY, LANDING TO THE NORTHEAST.  TWO WITNESSES BOTH DESCRIBED THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED TO BE SLIGHTLY HIGH AND FAST WHILE ON FINAL AND THAT IT HAD FLOATED DOWN THE RUNWAY BEFORE TOUCHDOWN.  ONE WITNESS CHARACTERIZED THE LANDING AS HARD, HOWEVER, THE OTHER WITNESS STATED THAT THE LEFT WING APPEARED TO HAVE STALLED, AND THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD ON THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR FIRST.

THE WITNESSES FURTHER STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO ?WOBBLE? AND DEPART THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, FOLLOWED BY AN INCREASE IN ENGINE POWER.  ONE WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE ACCELERATED THROUGH THE FIELD IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, AND THAT IT APPEARED TO DO A ?DUCK WADDLE.?  THE WITNESS SAID THAT ENGINE POWER REMAINED ON AS THE LEFT WINGTIP DRUG ACROSS THE GROUND ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH THE GO AROUND ATTEMPT.  SUBSEQUENTLY THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, WHERE A POST IMPACT FIRE ENSUED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR21FA353](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21FA353), Sep 27, 2021: Beech S35 (N354M), Billings, MT, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper flare, which led to a hard landing, subsequent loss of control, and collision with trees.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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