What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 24, 2025 at 2150 MDT, a privately owned Beech, B-35, with one pilot and one passenger on board, landed off airport and struck a building, at Helena Regional Airport, Helena, Montana. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries and were taken to the local hospital for treatment. The pilot stated that while flying to hln from gtf he requested a landing to runway 17. On approach he reduced throttle, increased fuel mixture and lowered flaps and landing gear. He did not increase propeller speed. He did not touch down and decided to execute a go around. He believes he pushed the fuel mixture in rather than the throttle, then pushed the throttle in and pulled the mixture back out. The aircraft cleared the fence and buildings then the aircraft stalled, impacted a road slid into a building. He turned off master power and exited the aircraft. He does not remember raising the flaps during the go around. During the investigation the flap switch was found in the up position and the flaps were up. The fuel mixture control was found to be three inches out and locked, total range for the mixture control is four inches. The throttle control was found one inch from full throttle. The carburetor heat switch was in the off position and the gear switch was in the down position. Maintenance records were up to date and there were no known maintenance issues at the time of flight. The pilot stated that he left gtf with 49 gallons of fuel on board.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 24, 2025 AT 2150 MDT, A PRIVATELY OWNED BEECH, B-35, WITH ONE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD, LANDED OFF AIRPORT AND STRUCK A BUILDING, AT HELENA REGIONAL AIRPORT, HELENA, MONTANA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND WERE TAKEN TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR TREATMENT. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE FLYING TO HLN FROM GTF HE REQUESTED A LANDING TO RUNWAY 17. ON APPROACH HE REDUCED THROTTLE, INCREASED FUEL MIXTURE AND LOWERED FLAPS AND LANDING GEAR. HE DID NOT INCREASE PROPELLER SPEED. HE DID NOT TOUCH DOWN AND DECIDED TO EXECUTE A GO AROUND. HE BELIEVES HE PUSHED THE FUEL MIXTURE IN RATHER THAN THE THROTTLE, THEN PUSHED THE THROTTLE IN AND PULLED THE MIXTURE BACK OUT. THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED THE FENCE AND BUILDINGS THEN THE AIRCRAFT STALLED, IMPACTED A ROAD SLID INTO A BUILDING. HE TURNED OFF MASTER POWER AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. HE DOES NOT REMEMBER RAISING THE FLAPS DURING THE GO AROUND. DURING THE INVESTIGATION THE FLAP SWITCH WAS FOUND IN THE UP POSITION AND THE FLAPS WERE UP. THE FUEL MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FOUND TO BE THREE INCHES OUT AND LOCKED, TOTAL RANGE FOR THE MIXTURE CONTROL IS FOUR INCHES. THE THROTTLE CONTROL WAS FOUND ONE INCH FROM FULL THROTTLE. THE CARBURETOR HEAT SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION AND THE GEAR SWITCH WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION. MAINTENANCE RECORDS WERE UP TO DATE AND THERE WERE NO KNOWN MAINTENANCE ISSUES AT THE TIME OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LEFT GTF WITH 49 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.