# NTSB CEN26LA077: Beech B35, N5174C, La Casa, TX, January 2, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 2, 2026, 16:40 local (22:40 UTC) - Place: La Casa, TX - Coordinates: 32.565574, -98.702727 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5656&lon=-98.7027&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 30, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - LBB FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202250 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA077 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202250/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202250 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA077 ## Probable cause The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during initial climb after takeoff, leading to an aerodynamic stall and impact with trees. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech B35, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1151506), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded; cases with it: [Beech B35, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=1151506), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech B35, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=1151506), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) ## Analysis In a telephone interview, the pilot reported that he was taking off from a private dirt strip when the accident happened. He said that he was departing to the south and the takeoff was normal until the airplane was above the level of the treetops that bordered the airstrip. Once the airplane reached that altitude, it stopped accelerating and drifted left, the left wing dropped, and the airplane descended into the trees. The pilot stated that he believed he experienced windshear with the wind changing from a quartering headwind to a quartering tailwind after clearing the trees. When asked, the pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The nearest aviation weather reporting station was located at the Stephens County Airport (BKD), Breckenridge, Texas, about 13 nautical miles northwest of the accident and reported wind from 280° at 7 knots about the time of the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N5174C](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N5174C), registered now, S/N D-2585, built 1950 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BEECH B35 - Registry model: [Beech B35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-b35) (registry code 1151506) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental E225 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-e225-series) (registry code 17015, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: D-2585 - Year built: 1950 - Engines: Continental E-185-8 196 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Airport: PVT, Private airstrip, runway 17, 2,200 × 90 ft, dirt - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 66; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; flight hours: 25,000 total, 47.5 in this make and model, 5.5 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 7 knots - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 29.68 inHg - Observed at: KBKD, 13 nm away - METAR: METAR KBKD 022235Z AUTO 28007KT CLR 27/05 A2968 RMK AO2 T02680049 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20260102000059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260102000059A), Jan 2, 2026: Beech B35, Ranger, TX, Substantial damage. On 01/02/2026 a beechraft BE-35 registered to a [privacy data omitted] was substantially damaged when it was departing a private ranch airport approximately… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 30, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202250. 1.1 MB in all. - Record of conversation with pilot (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 97 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20153854&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ROC-pilot_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 76 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20154486&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 4 photos, 957 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20154769&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.