History of Flight
On October 31, 2021, about 1334 mountain daylight time, a Beech P35 Bonanza, registration N8625M, was substantially damaged when it struck terrain near Harrison, Nebraska. The pilot, a passenger, and a dog were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a personal cross-country flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The flight originated at Marion Municipal Airport (MNN) in Marion, Ohio, around 0600, with an intended destination of Marshalltown Municipal Airport (MIW) in Iowa, approximately 454 nautical miles away. The pilot filed an IFR flight plan for this leg and communicated with ATC. After landing at MIW about 0930, the pilot added 49.5 gallons of aviation gasoline. No flight plan was filed for the subsequent leg from MIW to Converse County Airport (DGW) in Douglas, Wyoming, about 555 nm away.
Recorded ATC communications indicated difficulty in communicating with the pilot en route. At 1011, shortly after departing MIW, the pilot contacted ATC at 4,500 ft msl requesting VFR flight following, reporting frequency breakup. At 1015, the pilot checked in with another controller, stating VFR at 4,500 ft. By 1143, after a frequency change, the pilot did not respond. The controller broadcast without response and coordinated a relay through another aircraft. At 1148, the pilot reported on frequency, but radar contact was lost. The controller requested transponder recycling, yet the aircraft remained invisible. At 1205, VFR flight following was terminated.
ADS-B data showed the airplane departed MIW at 1004, cruising between 4,400 and 5,300 ft msl at about 140 knots groundspeed. Several route segments were not recorded by radar or ADS-B.
A witness, flying about 15 miles south of Valentine, Nebraska, between 1215 and 1230, observed a white V-tail Bonanza with red stripes heading west toward weather at about 5,000 ft. The witness, aware of AIRMETs for icing, attempted to radio the pilot without response. At 6,500 ft, the outside air temperature was 28°F with trace to light icing; the witness descended to 4,500 ft where the temperature was 38°F.
At 13:33.18, ADS-B data showed the airplane at 5,275 ft msl descending toward rising terrain. Between 13:33.30 and 13:33.37, the airplane was near terrain elevation, then climbed to 5,500 ft (320 ft agl) at about 125 knots groundspeed. The final data point at 13:33.52 recorded 5,400 ft (250 ft agl) and 150 knots groundspeed.
Personnel Information
The pilot's logbook recorded 1,269.6 total hours. He resumed flying in April 2021 after not flying since 1978. As of September 10, 1978, he had 1,215.3 hours. From April 23, 2021, he accumulated 54.3 hours, all in the accident airplane. In September 2021, he completed 3 IFR training flights totaling 4.9 hours, including 3.4 hours of simulated instrument instruction covering holding procedures, approaches, and other IFR tasks.
Aircraft Information
The Beech P35 Bonanza had two 40-gallon wing fuel tanks with 74 gallons usable. At 65% power, range was up to 800 nautical miles, endurance about 5.5 hours. The airplane lacked anti-icing or de-icing equipment, required for known icing conditions per 14 CFR 91.527. The accident occurred on the last day before a required annual inspection; the airplane was scheduled for inspection on November 1, 2021.
Meteorological Information
The night before, the pilot obtained a ForeFlight weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan for the first leg but not the second. He reviewed multiple weather products and entered route strings from MIW to DGW at various altitudes but did not generate a briefing for the accident route. No record of updates from ForeFlight, Leidos, or other vendors existed.
Weather charts showed a high-pressure system over Nebraska with a stationary front over Colorado. A mixed band of freezing precipitation and snow covered western Nebraska, northern Colorado, and Wyoming, including the accident site. AIRMETs warned of IFR conditions and moderate icing from the freezing level to 21,000 ft. Graphical forecasts included icing and IFR warnings applicable to the accident time.
A witness southeast of Crawford, Nebraska, about 10 miles south of the flight path, heard a low-flying airplane between 1330 and 1400 in overcast conditions at 200 ft agl, 1-mile visibility, and heavy freezing drizzle with ice particles. Weather data indicated low ceilings and light freezing rain over the accident site, with light-to-moderate clear icing below 5,500 ft and rime icing to 11,000 ft. Pilot reports indicated light-to-moderate rime and mixed icing.
The nearest weather station at Chadron Municipal Airport (CDR), about 40 miles east at 3,298 ft msl, reported at 1253: wind 100° at 4 kts, visibility 10+ miles, overcast ceiling 4,500 ft agl, temperature 2°C, dew point -4°C, altimeter 30.35 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The remote accident site consisted of rolling hills at 5,140 ft msl. An initial impact crater and a 700-ft debris field at 5,160 ft were present, with debris scattered to the main wreckage. The engine and propeller were southwest of the main wreckage. The airplane impacted with wings level and a shallow descent angle.
Control cables were continuous without anomalies, except for impact damage to the rudder interconnect torque tube. The pitot heat switch was OFF, defrost OFF, cabin heat knob pulled out. The vertical speed indicator needle was seized at -5,500 fpm descent; airspeed indicated about 200 knots.
The engine separated from the firewall with significant impact damage; oil sump was separated. The propeller separated from the crankshaft flange; both blades bent aft, one with leading edge gouges. The crankshaft could not rotate due to impact but appeared intact internally. No preimpact mechanical failures were found.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy determined the pilot's cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries, manner accidental. A laceration on the right hand was consistent with a flight control injury. Toxicology detected quinine, not generally considered impairing.