# Accident 20250723008649A: Beech B35, Helena, MT, July 23, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 23, 2025, 21:50 local time
- Place: Helena, MT
- Airport: Helena Regional
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.6015° N, 111.9805° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.6015&lon=-111.9805&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5204C, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5204C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech B35 (registry code 1151506, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-b35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental E185 series (registry code 17014, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e185-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH B35
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR E185 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 688 total, 57 in this make and model, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR25LA221](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA221) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250723008649A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 WPR25LA221](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA221), Jul 24, 2025: Beech B35 (N5204C), Helena, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to properly configure the airplane during a go-around which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall at a low altitude.

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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