Accident Overview
On August 13, 2025, about 2300 mountain daylight time, a Beech M35, registration N951T, was destroyed in an accident near Des Moines, New Mexico. The pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal operation under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight History
The airplane departed Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB) in Pueblo, Colorado, about 2200, and proceeded on a southerly heading toward Texas. Preliminary ADS-B data indicated the last recorded position at an altitude of 7,900 ft mean sea level (msl), approximately a quarter-mile north of the accident site. An Alert Notification (ALNOT) was issued on August 14, 2025, after the pilot failed to report to work in Uvalde, Texas. Later that day, the New Mexico State Police located the wreckage.
Wreckage Examination
The accident site was on the northern side of Sierra Grande Mountain at an elevation of about 7,810 ft msl, in wooded terrain. The first identified point of contact was a damaged tree about 20 ft tall. The debris path was oriented along a magnetic heading of approximately 280°, extending about 300 ft from the first point of contact to the main wreckage and the farthest debris piece. Most of the wreckage was consumed by a postcrash fire. The propeller assembly had separated from the engine and was found adjacent to the main wreckage. The engine separated from its mounts and came to rest about 50 ft west of the main wreckage. All major structural components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene. The wreckage was transported to a secure location for further examination.