What happened
On February 11, 2026, at approximately 17:26 CST, a Beech A36, registration N3215U, was involved in an accident near Murchison, Texas. The flight was being operated under Part 91 as a personal cross-country flight.
Earlier that day, ADS-B data indicated the aircraft departed Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) in Florida at 10:27 EST. The flight included a stop at DeFuniak Springs Airport (54J) in Florida, followed by a stop at Center Municipal Airport (F17) in Texas. After departing F17 at approximately 16:35 CST, the aircraft flew toward Tyler, Texas.
While crossing Lake Palestine, the pilot declared an emergency with air traffic control, reporting oil on the aircraft's windscreen. The pilot intended to land at Echo Lake Airport (TX40). ADS-B tracking showed the aircraft flying north of the airport before turning south, at which point the data stream ended.
During the emergency approach, the aircraft struck pine trees and a power line pole. The plane came to rest at a 45-degree nose-down attitude on the lawn of a private residence on the eastern side of the airport. The empennage was found resting on a power line. The impact caused substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger sustained 2 fatal injuries. A dog on board was uninjured and was removed from the wreckage by a witness.
The investigation
Investigators found two holes in the engine crankcase located above the No. 2 and No. 4 cylinders. Evidence of oil was present on the windscreen, the fuselage area above the windscreen, the left side of the engine, and the underside of the fuselage.
Components including a Garmin GTN 750, a Garmin GDU 1060, and a J.P. Instruments Engine Data Monitor were removed and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for analysis. The aircraft was powered by a Continental Motors IO-550-B engine and a Hartzell three-blade controllable pitch aluminum propeller.