What happened
On July 22, 2025, at approximately 17:06 Pacific daylight time, a Beechcraft Bonanza V35, registration N3785Q, was involved in an accident near Astoria, Oregon. The aircraft was being operated under Part 91 for a personal cross-country flight. The pilot and a flight instructor were en route to Astoria Regional Airport to refuel before continuing to Arlington, Washington.
While maneuvering for an approach to runway 26, approximately 3 miles southeast of the airport and 400 feet above ground level, the engine began to sputter. The pilot attempted to advance the mixture control, but the engine sputtered a second time and suffered a total loss of power. Following an unsuccessful attempt by the flight instructor to restart the engine, the instructor took control of the aircraft to perform a forced landing.
The aircraft touched down on a gravel road short of runway 26, subsequently overran an embankment, and came to a stop in a field. There were no injuries to the pilot or the passenger. Post-accident inspection showed that the lower fuselage of the aircraft sustained substantial damage.