# NTSB WPR25FA240: Beech 300, N534AW, Chinle, AZ, August 5, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report
- Date: August 5, 2025, 12:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place: Chinle, AZ
- Coordinates: 36.11506, -109.5779
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1151&lon=-109.5779&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Textron Aviation, Federal Aviation Administration, Hartzell Propellers, Pratt & Whitney Canada
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200716
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25FA240
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200716/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25FA240

## Preliminary report

On August 5, 2025, about 1245 mountain daylight time, a Beech 300, N534AW, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Chinle, Arizona. The pilot, co-pilot and two medical crew members were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 positioning flight. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data and air traffic control radar data showed that the airplane departed Albuquerque International Sunport Airport (ABQ) Albuquerque, New Mexico about 1155, climbed to 18,000 ft mean sea level (msl) and proceeded direct to Chinle Municipal Airport (E91) Chinle, Arizona. About 1229 the airplane began a descent and about 1239, the airplane entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 36. About 1240, while about 6,600 ft, the airplane turned right and entered the base leg. The last radar data point recorded the airplane about 6,100 ft, and about 2.8 miles southeast of the runway 36 threshold. According to a witness, who was located about one quarter mile from the airport, he observed the airplane on a northbound heading over the runway while flying about 180 ft above ground level (agl). The left wing banked erratically multiple times and then leveled off, at which time the airplane pitched up. The left wing then dropped into a knife edge attitude, while the airplane descended to the ground and immediately erupted in flames. The airplane impacted open terrain about 990 ft west of runway 36 at an elevation of about 5,510 ft. A path of disturbed terrain and vegetation extended about 281 ft from the main wreckage and included multiple airframe components. A postaccident fire thermally damaged the fuselage and wings. A cockpit voice recorder was recovered from the airplane and shipped to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for download. The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination.

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach-VFR go-around: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Beech 300, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1152930), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)
- [Approach-VFR go-around: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech 300, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=1152930), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N534AW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N534AW), registered now, S/N FA154, built 1988 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 300
- Registry model: [Beech 300](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-300) (registry code 1152930) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60a) (registry code 52043, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: FA154
- Year built: 1988
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Positioning, Part 135
- Operator: Csi Aviation Inc
- Registered owner: Csi Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: ABQ, Albuquerque, NM
- Destination: IWA, Phoenix, AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: E91, Chinle Municipal Airport, runway 36, 6,000 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Data recorder, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display, Stall warning system

## Weather

- Wind: 270° at 14 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observed at: KRQE, 37 nm away
- METAR: KRQE 051853Z AUTO 27014G28KT 10SM CLR 32/M01 A3038 RMK AO2 PK WND 25028/1849 SLP139 T03171006

## 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 20250805010409A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250805010409A), Aug 5, 2025: Beech 300, Chinle, AZ, Destroyed, 4 fatal. [privacy data omitted]Was operating under part 135 as an air medical transport flight. The accident occurred during the aircraft’s second mission and third…

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.

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