Beechcraft (Textron Aviation) · Single-engine piston plane
Beechcraft Bonanza (33, 35, 36)
Is the Beechcraft Bonanza (33, 35, 36) safe? It ranks Shared rankWithin 1 point of other aircraft types: the difference is not meaningful.More in the glossary of 23 small planes we rate, with 210 fatal accidents counted in about 13 million US flights since 2008.
Medium confidenceIn serviceUpdated 5 November 2026
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Beechcraft Bonanza (33, 35, 36) safety score: 38 out of 100, grade F (Poor)
Likely range 33 to 43
1 in 67,000chance of dying on a flight14.82 deaths per million boardings
How the score is built
- Fatal accidents
- 210 in 13.1 million flights
16 fatal accidents per million flights. Counted: all civil flights in the United States since 2008 (private, training, charter and other), accidents and unexplained losses; not counted: accidents outside the United States or before 2008, military, test and illegal flights, sabotage, hijackings, shoot-downs and deliberate crew acts.
- Full-loss equivalents
- 197
Each counted accident adds the share of people on board who died (1 = no survivors). This is what the score is based on.
- Flights flown
- 13.1 million
Estimated flights of all kinds in the United States since 2008. Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston singles in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 9,911 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (0.94, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022), at 0.96 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 81 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±25%.
- Technology generation
- Single-engine piston plane
Small fleets are pulled toward the record of the other types of their generation: 5 full-loss equivalents per million flights over 205 million flights. Weight of this family's own record: 98%.
- Likely range
- 33 to 43
The score is 90% likely to lie in this range, given how few accidents a type has and the error in the estimate of its flights.
- Last fatal accident
- 6 August 2026
Private, Bogalusa, LA, United States of America: 2 of 2 people on board died.
- Aircraft destroyed
- 132
Aircraft the NTSB coded as destroyed in an accident in the United States since 2008, fatal or not, from all causes. The NTSB codes many wrecks as only substantially damaged, so the real number is higher (context only, not in the score).
Compared with everyday risks
One flight on the Beechcraft Bonanza (33, 35, 36) carries about the same risk of death as the activities near it below.
- An hour's walk1 in 14 million
- Driving 100 miles (160 km)1 in 5.9 million
- An ordinary day: accidents and violence1 in 1 million
- A day of skiing1 in 830,000
- A scuba dive1 in 500,000
- Cycling 100 miles (160 km)1 in 430,000
- Running a marathon1 in 290,000
- A skydive1 in 250,000
- A general anaesthetic1 in 100,000
- Riding a motorbike 100 miles (160 km)1 in 83,000
- One flight on the Beechcraft Bonanza (33, 35, 36)This aircraft1 in 67,000
Accident history
210 fatal accidents in the United States since 2008 count toward the score, with 382 people on board killed.
| Date | Flight | Killed | What happened |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrivateH35 Bonanza · Bogalusa, LA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | About 0.5 miles after taking off from Bogalusa, Louisiana, the H35 hit pine trees and burned; both on board died. The fuel selector was found on an auxiliary tank, and witnesses heard nothing wrong with the engine. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33A Bonanza · Minneapolis, MN, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Just after taking off from Crystal Airport, Minneapolis, the pilot radioed 'abort'. With the gear still down, the F33A turned left and dived nearly vertically into a park about 900 ft past the runway; both on board died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Olympic Valley, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Inbound to Truckee, California, the pilot reported a turbocharger problem and said he might not make it. The A36 hit trees and came to rest in a lake in the Granite Chief Wilderness near Olympic Valley; he died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Gulf Shores, AL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On an RNAV approach to Gulf Shores, Alabama, at night, the pilot flew through the final course after radio trouble; the A36 turned, climbed, then entered a steep descending turn and hit the water at about 165 knots. Both on board died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Murchison, TX, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Near Lake Palestine, Texas, the pilot declared an emergency with oil on the windscreen and headed for Echo Lake airstrip at Murchison. The A36 hit pine trees and a power pole; both pilots on board died. The crankcase had two holes. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Sabine Pass, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Descending to 4,000 ft on an IFR flight to Galveston, the A36 entered a rain shower and a descending right turn, then came down in pieces in a marsh near Sabine Pass, Texas; the pilot died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateK35 Bonanza · Summer Lake, OR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Turning to avoid cloud over Oregon at 12,000 to 13,000 ft amid reports of rime icing, the pilot reported an engine power loss, then that he was in cloud collecting ice. The K35 descended into trees near Summer Lake and he died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA35 Bonanza · Skidmore, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Taking off from Beeville, Texas, as heavy rain and storms cut visibility, the pilot, not instrument rated, climbed to about 1,600 ft, then the A35 entered a descending right turn into the ground near Skidmore. He died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorP35 Bonanza · Englewood, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a familiarisation flight at Centennial, Colorado, the P35 stopped climbing after a stop-and-go and a witness heard the engine stop. It banked hard left toward the airport and hit a driveway; the student and instructor died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateK35 Bonanza · Cambridge, MN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Arriving at Cambridge, Minnesota, the K35 came down in a grass field beside runway 16 with gear and flaps up and the selector on the auxiliary tanks; the fuel lines held almost no fuel. The pilot died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateM35 Bonanza · Des Moines, NM, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying at night from Pueblo, Colorado, toward Uvalde, Texas, the M35 hit trees and wooded terrain at about 7,800 ft on the north side of Sierra Grande near Des Moines, New Mexico, and burned; both on board died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF35 Bonanza · Eagle Nest, NM, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The F35 left Angel Fire, New Mexico, toward Hobbs with storms around the valley. It was found two days later at 9,932 ft at the end of a box canyon near Cimarroncito Peak, about 10 miles northeast; the pilot died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Greenville, NC, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Climbing out of Greenville, North Carolina, into a 300 ft ceiling and fog, the A36 made two right turns, the second tightening into a descending spiral; it came out of the cloud rolling and hit the ground, and both on board died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35B Bonanza · Charlottesville, VA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The V35B's engine lost all power at 5,500 ft about 10 miles south of Charlottesville, Virginia. Unable to glide to the airport, the pilot tried a snow-covered field by a river but overflew it and hit trees at its end; he died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · East Aurora, NY, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Cruising at 12,500 ft from Lansing, Michigan, the A36 Bonanza lost most of its engine power; unable to reach Buffalo, the pilot tried a field landing near East Aurora, New York, hit a tree and the aircraft burned. He died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Private35-B33 Bonanza · Nunn, CO, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a flight from Chadron, Nebraska, toward Hudson, Colorado, in good weather, the Debonair hit a farm field near Nunn, Colorado, about 20 nm off the direct route; the pilot died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| Regal Air Partners II LLCG36 Bonanza · Lafayette, LA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Just after takeoff from Lafayette, Louisiana, the G36 trailed thick white smoke, reached about 200 ft, turned left then right and crashed on a golf course, then burned; the pilot died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33 Bonanza · Oklahoma City, OK, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | On a sightseeing flight from Sundance Airport, Oklahoma City, the F33A ran off the left of the runway on the takeoff roll, hit a hay bale, crossed a field and a fence and struck trees, then exploded and burned; all four on board died. The investigation has not published a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Runway excursionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Ronkonkoma, NY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | After an intersection takeoff at Islip, New York, with about 4,000 ft of runway left, the A36 lost some power in the climb; witnesses heard sputtering and a pop. It turned left and hit the ground just off the runway; both on board died. Why power was lost is unknown.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA35 Bonanza · Gustavus, AK, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Flying from Juneau to Yakutat, Alaska, the A35 crossed Glacier Bay National Park and its track stopped at 10,875 ft against East Crillon mountain, in steep rock, snow and glaciers. All three on board died. NTSB: visual flight continued into cloud, ending in terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Whiskey Romeo LLCV35A Bonanza · Arvada, CO, United States of America | 1 killed / 4 on board | Soon after takeoff from Centennial, Colorado, the V35A lost oil from loose turbocharger oil line fittings; the engine starved of oil and stopped. The forced landing on a residential street in Arvada hit a tree and a pickup and burned; one of four on board died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Franklin, TN, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | On an IFR flight to Louisville, the pilot climbed and turned into developing storms and updrafts near Franklin, Tennessee. The V35 broke up in flight after he lost control, and all three on board died. The controller's display did not show the storms' strength.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Augusta, GA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Departing Daniel Field, Augusta, Georgia, for New Haven, the A36 turned left and stayed 200 to 300 ft up for about 30 seconds, then hit tall oak trees, losing half a wing, and crashed into a front yard; the pilot died. NTSB: a stall from too steep a turn at low speed and height.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Clearwater, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Arriving at night at Clearwater Airpark, Florida, which he did not know and could not find, the pilot reported a fire. A loose fuel hose nut had started an engine fire; the V35B crashed into two houses, killing the pilot and two people on the ground.Type: FireNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG36 Bonanza · Buford, GA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a local flight from Peachtree-DeKalb, Atlanta, the G36 slowed and descended over Lake Lanier with no engine sound heard, then hit trees on the shore and exploded in a parking lot near Buford, Georgia. The pilot died. Fire kept the NTSB from finding why power was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Topock, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Climbing out of Bullhead City, Arizona, the pilot reported falling oil pressure and turned back. A connecting rod failed from oil starvation and the engine caught fire; the A36 crashed in desert near Topock and the pilot died. Closer landing sites were available.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Private35-C33 Bonanza · Pulaski, TN, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | En route from Knoxville to Benton, Arkansas, the Debonair's altitude and speed swung more and more over 25 minutes, likely from the pilot's misuse of the autopilot. He stopped answering ATC and it dived at over 10,000 ft per minute into terrain near Pulaski, Tennessee; both died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Covelo, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Departing Round Valley, Covelo, California, toward rising terrain, the A36 lifted off near the end of the runway, cleared trees by about 20 ft, then entered a steep 70 to 80 degree bank, sank and hit the mountain; both on board died. Why it banked so steeply is unknown.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateB36TC Bonanza · Cape Yakataga, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying from Glennallen to Ketchikan, Alaska, over the mountains near Cape Yakataga, the B36TC Bonanza flew on into moderate to severe icing, lost control and crashed; both on board died. The forecast had understated the icing.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateP35 Bonanza · Upland, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Taking off from Cable Airport, Upland, California, the P35 pitched 30 to 45 degrees nose-up at full power, dropped its left wing and spun into a hangar; all three on board died. The NTSB found a stall but could not determine why the pilot pitched up so far.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Rayville, LA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Arriving at Rayville, Louisiana, from Addison, Texas, just after midnight, the A36 hit the ground nose-down at high speed about 1 nm south of the airport; both on board died. NTSB: visual flight into cloud and loss of control on approach.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateB35 Bonanza · Orangeburg, SC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | About 20 minutes into a short flight toward Columbia, South Carolina, the B35 lost power at 1,200 ft when a cylinder intake valve likely stuck open. Unable to reach an airport, the pilot crashed into trees near Orangeburg and the aircraft burned; he died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Rougemont, NC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a long trip north, the V35's engine lost all power from oil starvation near Rougemont, North Carolina; it hit pine trees and burned, killing the pilot. Fire hid the source of the oil loss. Toxicology showed cannabis use.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Big Bear, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Landing at Big Bear City, California, at a density altitude near 8,200 ft amid mountain waves, the pilot overshot final; the A36 slowed, rolled right twice and dived into the ground. All three on board died. The NTSB found a stall in adverse winds.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · North Castle, NY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Climbing out of JFK, one cylinder of the A36 overheated; detonation damaged a piston, pressurised the crankcase and drained the oil. The pilot diverted toward White Plains, but the engine failed and it hit trees under a mile short; both on board died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateM35 Bonanza · Fayetteville, AR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying back alone to Fayetteville, Arkansas, without refuelling, the pilot mismanaged the M35's fuel tanks; a witness heard the engine surge and stop. The aircraft hit trees about 3 miles from the airport and he died.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33A Bonanza · Yukon, OK, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Taking off at night from Yukon, Oklahoma, the F33A climbed to about 450 ft and turned as if to return to the runway, then crashed nose-low and burned; all three on board died. No fault was found and the NTSB could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Harlan, KY, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying in fog with 200 to 300 ft visibility to a mountaintop runway at Harlan, Kentucky, the physician pilot tried three approaches, going lower each time. On the third the A36 hit a ravine wall 375 ft short of the runway; he died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Arundel, ME, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying an RNAV approach to Biddeford, Maine, in cloud after a business trip, the pilot gave slow, incomplete readbacks and descended below the minimum altitudes; the A36 hit terrain near Arundel and both on board died. The NTSB found he lost situational awareness.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateB35 Bonanza · French Lick, IN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Returning at night to French Lick, Indiana, the pilot flew an unstable, low approach; after touchdown the B35 ran off the left side of the runway, climbed and hit trees. He died.Type: Runway excursionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA35 Bonanza · Centralia, IL, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Near Centralia, Illinois, the pilot switched tanks but the A35's fuel selector was likely not fully engaged, and the engine lost power. Trying to circle to the runway, it got too low and hit terrain; the passenger died and the pilot was badly hurt.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35B Bonanza · Vancouver, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Returning to Pearson Field, Vancouver, Washington, because of weather, the pilot turned onto base early and then steeply onto final over the threshold. The V35B stalled, hit the ground and burned; he died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorE35 Bonanza · Buckeye, AZ, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On an instruction flight at Buckeye, Arizona, after a low approach the E35 stayed at 200 to 300 ft with flaps up and slow, then stalled in the turn to final and crashed short of the runway; the student and instructor died.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operator35 Bonanza · Hilltown Township, PA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Practising manoeuvres from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, for the owner's commercial check ride, the instructor and student let the Debonair slow below stall speed; it rolled left, spun and hit a residential street in Hilltown Township. Both died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateK35 Bonanza · Salem, OR, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Landing at Salem, Oregon, after a pattern flight, the K35 pitched up just before touchdown, climbed about 50 ft, rolled left and dived into the ground; both on board died. The autopilot had just been repaired, but the NTSB could not determine why it pitched up.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Crab Orchard, KY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Nearing Danville, Kentucky, the pilot, not instrument rated, flew on under VFR into low cloud, fog and rain with the vacuum pump not working. The V35 turned, pitched up near rising terrain and dived into the ground near Crab Orchard; both on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Visalia, CA, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Departing Visalia, California, at night into cloud with a ceiling near 300 ft, the V35 reached about 200 ft, turned left and descended into open ground a mile from the runway; all four on board died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateP35 Bonanza · Harrison, NE, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | With no weather briefing for the second leg toward Douglas, Wyoming, the pilot flew on into cloud and icing that another pilot tried to warn him about. Low over rising terrain near Harrison, Nebraska, the P35 lost control and hit the ground; both on board died.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateB36TC Bonanza · Lena, WI, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying from Fort Worth to Camdenton, Missouri, for an annual inspection, the B36TC Bonanza's pilot became incapacitated, likely from hypoxia at altitude; the aircraft flew on until its fuel ran out and crashed near Lena, Wisconsin. The pilot died.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| PrivateS35 Bonanza · Andrews, NC, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Diverted by weather to Andrews, North Carolina, the pilot took off again under VFR after dark toward rising mountains hidden in low cloud and rain. About 5 miles out the S35 hit trees near a summit; both on board died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateS35 Bonanza · Billings, MT, United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | Landing at dusk on an unlit private strip at Billings, Montana, the S35 came in high and fast, floated and touched down hard on one wheel. It veered left; in the go-around a wingtip dragged and it hit trees and burned. Both passengers died; the pilot was badly hurt.Type: Hard landing or abnormal runway contactNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Angwin, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | After an unstable approach and a hard landing at Angwin, California, the pilot in the right seat tried to go around. The V35B stalled and hit trees and terrain; all three on board died. A camera on board recorded the flight.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Lec Aviation LLCG36 Bonanza · Aspen, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Departing Aspen, Colorado, under VFR after giving up an IFR departure his G36 was not equipped for, the pilot flew into a canyon walled by high mountains. Trying to turn out, it hit trees and rising terrain and burned; both on board died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Private35-33 Bonanza · Roff, OK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying at night in low visibility near Roff, Oklahoma, only 200 to 300 ft above the ground, the pilot, who was not instrument rated, entered a tightening left turn and the Debonair crashed; both on board died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Lakeland, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Near Lakeland, Florida, on the fourth leg of a day of instruction, the A36's engine suddenly quit and would not restart. The instructor took control for a forced landing, but a wing hit a palm tree; he died and the owner under instruction was badly hurt. The cause is unknown.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateB36 Bonanza · Pembroke Pines, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Just after takeoff near Pembroke Pines, Florida, the B36TC Bonanza lost all power, likely because the auxiliary fuel pump was set to high and flooded the engine; turning back, it stalled onto a road and hit a car. Both on board and a car passenger died.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Private35 Bonanza · Palestine, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | The new owner and a pilot were flying a Bonanza home from Anahuac, Texas, gear down with a dead generator, when the fuel selector was left between tank detents and the engine stopped. In the forced landing through trees near Palestine the pilot died and the owner was hurt.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33 Bonanza · Columbia, SC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying an RNAV approach to Columbia Owens Field, South Carolina, in fog with 200 ft vertical visibility, the pilot went around, became disoriented in the missed-approach turn and lost control; the F33A crashed and he died. ATC never gave him the airport weather.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35A Bonanza · Attalla, AL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying IFR at 9,000 ft in turbulent cloud near Attalla, Alabama, the V35A entered a tightening descending right turn into a field; the pilot died. A corroded turnbuckle end in the up-elevator cable had broken from fatigue, making recovery improbable.Type: System failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Deltaville, VA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a local flight from Deltaville, Virginia, to test the autopilot, the V35 flew through a flock of seagulls; witnesses saw two birds fall and heard a loud noise. The aircraft turned, spiralled twice and crashed, killing the pilot.Type: Bird strikeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateJ35 Bonanza · Fredericksburg, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a four-aircraft formation practice flight from Fredericksburg, Texas, the lead J35 closed on an M35 with a gear problem and its propeller struck the M35's nose. The J35 went out of control and crashed, killing its pilot; the M35 lost its propeller but landed.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Slidell, LA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Minutes after dropping off his instructor at Slidell, Louisiana, the pilot took off again; the V35A reached about 200 ft, turned left and dived into trees, then burned. He died; the wreck was found hours later. The NTSB could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateS35 Bonanza · Telluride, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Leaving Telluride, Colorado, elevation 9,078 ft, the pilot climbed east into a box canyon instead of gaining height over lower ground. At a density altitude near 13,600 ft the S35 could not out-climb the terrain, turned and hit the slope near-vertically; both on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Jackson, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a night flight in Tennessee, the pilot reported he was low on fuel and diverted toward Jackson, but the A36 came down in woods short of the airport and he died. The tanks were empty: he left with too little fuel. His blood alcohol was nearly three times the limit for flying.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| Private35 Bonanza · Three Rivers, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The pilot flew the V35B under VFR into thick wildfire smoke after leaving Visalia, California; the wreck was found the next day at about 9,500 ft in Sequoia National Park near Three Rivers. Both on board died. The NTSB found controlled flight into terrain in poor visibility.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Redding, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 4 on board | Taking off near maximum weight from the 2,420 ft runway at Benton Field, Redding, California, the A36 accelerated slowly, rotated nose-high, lifted off briefly and settled back, then ran off the end and burned. Two of the four on board died. The pilot did not abort in time.Type: Runway excursionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33 Bonanza · Malbis, AL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Told that VFR flight was not recommended because of storms, the pilot, not instrument rated, departed Gulf Shores, Alabama. In rain the F33A made a tight 360-degree turn, flew erratically and hit trees near Malbis; both on board died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operator35-A33 Bonanza · Cambridge, OH, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a ferry flight after an engine overhaul following a gear-up landing, a fuel injection leak at the No. 3 cylinder cut the Debonair's power. Unable to reach an airport, the pilot tried a field near Cambridge, Ohio, but hit trees at its end and died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Logical Choice Aviation N711JA IncF33 Bonanza · Land O Lakes, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The F33A's engine ran rough at full power during two aborted takeoff attempts at Tampa North Aero Park, but the pilot took off on the third. It barely cleared the trees, then came down in a backyard and burned; he died. Corrosion in the fuel manifold had cut power.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Private35 Bonanza · Currie, NV, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | The A35 was found in a remote valley near Currie, Nevada, with flaps extended after a hard, nose-low impact, consistent with a forced landing that went wrong; all three on board died. The NTSB could not find why the pilot was landing; fuel may have run low.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Rogers, MN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | A fuel hose nut on the A36's engine-driven fuel pump had been left only finger tight when the engine was installed 21 hours earlier. The engine lost power in cruise and the pilot tried a forced landing near Rogers, Minnesota, but hit forest and burned; he died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Private33 Bonanza · Granbury, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After landing at Granbury, Texas, and taking off again, the pilot flew an extended traffic pattern; turning from base to final, the F33A stalled and spun into trees and he died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateB36TC Bonanza · Corona, CA, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Overweight and with the elevator trim set wrongly, the B36TC Bonanza did not climb on takeoff from Corona, California; the pilots did not abort and it hit a fence past the end of the runway. The two pilots and two passengers died.Type: Runway excursionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Blythe, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying solo under VFR at night without a weather briefing, the pilot entered mountains west of Blythe, California, in high wind, turbulence and mountain waves. After turning back from weather, the V35 crashed beside a road and burned; he died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Caroline Aviation LLCA36 Bonanza · San Marcos, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The A36 took off from San Marcos, Texas, in fog below the reported 1/4-mile visibility and a 300 ft ceiling, and dived nearly vertically into the ground half a mile from the runway; the pilot died. The NTSB could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · London, OH, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Overshooting the final approach at London-Madison County Airport, Ohio, the pilot banked steeply back toward the runway into the rising sun. The V35 stalled too low to recover and crashed 520 ft short of the runway; he died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Private33 Bonanza · St. Ignatius, MT, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Arriving near St. Ignatius, Montana, the pilot flew low over a ranch to announce himself, as he often did but never this low. The Debonair hit a power line that cut off part of the left wing and tail, then hit the ground; all three on board died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33 Bonanza · Hatboro, PA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | About a minute after an early-morning IFR departure from Northeast Philadelphia, the F33A entered cloud, banked right and left and dived at 180 knots into a residential area of Hatboro, Pennsylvania; all three on board died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Chebanse, IL, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | In cruise at 3,000 ft near Chebanse, Illinois, the A36's engine stopped when the selected left tank ran dry, though the right tank held about 25 gallons. In the forced landing in a muddy wheat field one passenger died; the pilot and the other passenger survived.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Elida, OH, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The pilot, who was not instrument rated and had no weather briefing, flew on under VFR into rain and cloud on the way to Toledo. After several 360-degree turns the A36 entered a spiral and crashed near Elida, Ohio; both on board died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| RI Aviation Services LLCA36 Bonanza · Southold, NY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Shortly after leaving Islip, New York, the A36's engine failed when a main bearing shifted; a mechanic had warned the pilot repeatedly that the engine was failing. Manoeuvring low toward a field near Southold, it banked steeply and hit the ground; both on board died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Private35 Bonanza · Melba, ID, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | At Sunrise Skypark, Melba, Idaho, the pilot flew aileron rolls at low level in a C35 not approved for aerobatics. On the second, just after takeoff, the roll stopped about halfway and the aircraft descended into the ground; he died. He was impaired by alcohol and antidepressants.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Frankfort, MI, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Over Lake Michigan, the V35's engine failed; the pilot turned for the nearest airport but went down about 4 nm west of Frankfort. The wreck was found at 540 ft depth and never recovered; both on board died. The NTSB could not determine why the engine failed.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Big Fuga LLC36 Bonanza · Fredericksburg, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | In cruise near Fredericksburg, Texas, the pilot of the turbocharged A36 radioed mayday with the engine on fire. It hit a field, crossed a road and burned; he died. The crankshaft had broken from fatigue, for a reason the NTSB could not find.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · LA Verne, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a straight-in approach to Brackett Field, La Verne, California, the pilot was confused about which parallel runway to use and which aircraft was ahead. Told to go around, he hit trees, banked steeply left and crashed; he died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Private33 Bonanza · Cottonwood, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Returning alone to Cottonwood, Arizona, the pilot never switched tanks; the F33A's engine stopped on final and it hit the roof of a house 1/4 mile short of the runway. He told a witness something about an engine problem and died. The NTSB found fuel starvation.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36TC Bonanza · Sylmar, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Approaching Whiteman Airport, Los Angeles, from Placerville, the A36TC Bonanza lost all engine power for reasons the NTSB could not determine; the pilot declared an emergency, lost control and crashed near Sylmar. He died.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA35 Bonanza · Hesperia, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Just after takeoff from Hesperia, California, the A35's spinner bulkhead, cracked by fatigue, came off. Trying to return, the pilot lost control; the aircraft hit power lines and burned and both on board died. A mechanic had told him not to fly it until more repairs were done.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateP35 Bonanza · Omaha, NE, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Millard Airport, Omaha, the P35 veered off the left side, crossed the grass and taxiway hitting lights, came back over the runway end, became airborne and stalled; it cartwheeled and burned. Both on board died. The pilot did not abort the takeoff.Type: Runway excursionNTSB docket | |
| Private35-A33 Bonanza · Jacksonville, AL, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | At night near Jacksonville, Alabama, smoke filled the Debonair's cockpit and the engine quit and caught fire: exhaust leaked through cracks a poor inspection missed onto fuel lines. In the forced landing into trees, the pilot's unbelted daughter was thrown out and died.Type: FireNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG33 Bonanza · Warsaw, OH, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying IFR in an aircraft not approved for icing, the pilot picked up ice at 4,000 ft and descended below the cloud, saying the ice was clearing, but the G33 kept descending into the ground near Blissfield, Ohio. Both on board died. He had no official weather briefing.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Hydro, OK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a night VFR flight to El Reno, Oklahoma, despite an IFR forecast and no instrument or night currency, the pilot could not find the airport in low cloud, flew in and out of cloud, and lost control near Hydro; both on board the V35A died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Private35-A33 Bonanza · Helenwood, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | In cruise near Helenwood, Tennessee, the Debonair's engine stopped because the pilot mismanaged the fuel, and he did not follow the restart checklist. The forced landing on a logging road in the mountains killed one of the two on board.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG35 Bonanza · Cross City, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | With no weather briefing, the pilot flew on under VFR toward Melbourne, Florida, at low altitude near a cold front on a dark night, circling repeatedly under a 600 ft ceiling. The G35 crashed 11 miles northwest of Cross City and he died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · San Diego, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 4 on board | About 2 minutes after takeoff from Montgomery-Gibbs, San Diego, the A36's engine lost all power. The pilot tried to land in a school yard but hit a fence and a house, and the aircraft burned; two of the four on board died. The NTSB could not find why the engine stopped.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateB36TC Bonanza · Chesterfield, MO, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a visual approach to Spirit of St. Louis Airport, Missouri, the B36TC Bonanza's engine stopped from fuel starvation after poor fuel management; it hit a gas station canopy and parking lot, and the private pilot died.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorV35B Bonanza · Alva, OK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On the new owner's first training flight in his Bonanza at Alva, Oklahoma, an engine cowling came open on approach. Distracted, and likely surprised by the STOL kit's strong nose-down pitch with flaps, the crew let the sink rate build and hit trees and a power line; both died.Type: Landed short or longNTSB docket | |
| Private35-C33 Bonanza · Whiteville, NC, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | The Debonair lost power approaching Whiteville, North Carolina, to refuel and crashed into trees; the pilot died and the passenger had minor injuries. NTSB: fuel mismanagement starved the engine, the reaction came late, and a faulty fuel gauge contributed.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateC35 Bonanza · Camden, AR, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Camden, Arkansas, after refuelling, the C35 lost power about 170 ft up when fuel escaped through a tank cap left unsecured. Instead of landing on the grass ahead, the pilot turned back, stalled and spiralled into the ground; both on board died.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG36 Bonanza · Benicia, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Climbing out of Concord, California, toward Arcata, the G36 slowed toward stall speed near its level-off altitude, entered a right turn and dived into terrain near Benicia; both on board died. The NTSB found the pilot let the airspeed decay into a stall.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Ellabell, GA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Climbing out of Savannah on a business flight, the A36's engine failed: a main bearing shifted after cylinder nuts were wrongly torqued, starving a connecting rod of oil. Heading for a private strip 6.5 nm behind, it hit trees near Ellabell, Georgia; all three died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36TC Bonanza · Ogden, UT, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Just after takeoff from Ogden, Utah, for West Yellowstone, the pilot lost control of the A36TC Bonanza and it crashed in a forced landing; the private pilot and three passengers died. The NTSB could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36TC Bonanza · Hopkinsville, KY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a flight from Davenport, Iowa, the private pilot, who had no instrument rating, flew the A36TC Bonanza on into cloud near Hopkinsville, Kentucky, became spatially disoriented and lost control; it hit trees and both on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Dadeville, AL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Cruising at 5,000 ft near Dadeville, Alabama, the A36's engine stopped; the pilot passed up open fields and a highway within glide range and hit trees, and both on board died. Fire destroyed the evidence; the NTSB could not find why the engine stopped.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| JE Aviation LLCV35 Bonanza · Union City, OK, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a local flight from Chickasha, Oklahoma, in good weather, the V35B slowed at 5,500 ft and was seen spinning down; it crashed and burned near Mustang and the pilot died. The NTSB found he did not recover from the spin; why it began is unknown.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Pittsburg, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a local flight from Concord, California, to learn new avionics, the A36 levelled at 3,400 ft, then entered a steepening descending turn far above its never-exceed speed and hit the ground at Pittsburg; both pilots died. The NTSB could not determine why.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33 Bonanza · Carrollton, GA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Joining the pattern at West Georgia Regional, the F33A pilot was calling on an old radio frequency. On final he overtook a Diamond training aircraft from above and behind and both fell short of the runway; the Bonanza pilot died.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Bentonville, AR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Taking off at Bentonville, Arkansas, without radio calls, the pilot saw an aircraft landing head-on, veered off the runway and tried to continue the takeoff; the A36 crossed the ramp, hit a hangar roof and burned. He died.Type: Runway excursionNTSB docket | |
| Flying Start AeroA36 Bonanza · Sparks, NV, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Landing at Reno on runway 16L late on a long day of flying, the 73-year-old pilot flew into the wake of a Boeing 757 on the parallel runway in a strong crosswind and could not recover; both on board the A36 died near Sparks, Nevada.Type: TurbulenceNTSB docket | |
| PrivateD35 Bonanza · Sevierville, TN, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Landing at Gatlinburg-Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the pilot forgot to lower the D35's gear; the propeller struck the runway. He added power and lifted off, but with the damaged propeller it pitched up, rolled left and stalled into the ground. He died.Type: Hard landing or abnormal runway contactNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36TC Bonanza · Tupelo, MS, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Climbing out of Tupelo, Mississippi, the A36TC Bonanza's turbocharger exhaust clamp failed from an old crack; the tailpipe came off, a fire started in flight and the aircraft crashed. The pilot and three passengers died.Type: FireNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Syosset, NY, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Between cloud layers on the way to Plainville, Connecticut, the V35B's vacuum pump failed and took out some instruments. In cloud on the approach the pilot lost control, and the aircraft broke up over Syosset, New York; all three died. The pump was past its replacement time.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Marshville, NC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | After about 3 hours of a night flight from Daytona Beach with fuel for about 3 hours, the A36's engine stopped 50 miles from Lexington, North Carolina; it came down in woods near Marshville and the pilot died. The tanks were dry: fuel exhaustion after poor planning.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateM35 Bonanza · San Pedro, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Descending over the harbour off Cabrillo Beach, Long Beach, the M35 collided almost head-on with a Bellanca Decathlon flying into the sun; both fell into the sea. The two in the Bonanza and the Bellanca pilot died. The NTSB found neither crew saw the other.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateC35 Bonanza · Meeker, CO, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The C35 broke up in flight west of Meeker, Colorado, on a flight from Salt Lake City to Granby; the pilot died. NTSB: flight in cloud at high altitude with no instrument rating or oxygen, then hypoxia and loss of control; impairing medications contributed.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Farmington, PA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Just after takeoff from Nemacolin, Farmington, Pennsylvania, the A36's cabin door came open. The pilot flew a low circuit to return, stalled in a tight turn to final and crashed into woods; all three on board died. He had also misused amphetamine.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36TC Bonanza · Orlando, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Soon after takeoff from Orlando Executive, Florida, the private pilot of the A36TC Bonanza turned back for the runway with the trim run fully nose-up after misusing the controls with the autopilot on; it stalled into Clear Lake and both on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33A Bonanza · North Salem, NY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The F33A crashed into Titicus Reservoir at North Salem, New York, while approaching Danbury, Connecticut; both on board died. The NTSB found loss of control and no mechanical fault, and could not determine why.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Pottsville, AR, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Departing Russellville, Arkansas, in cloud with a 200 ft ceiling, the A36 hit a ridge about a mile from the runway with the engine at high power; all four on board died. The NTSB found the pilot did not climb fast enough.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG35 Bonanza · Eaton, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Near Greeley, Colorado, the G35's engine sputtered when the selected right tank ran dry. In gusty wind and windshear the pilot lost control in a left turn and it cartwheeled into a corn field near Eaton; both on board died. He was unfamiliar with the fuel system.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG35 Bonanza · South Lake Tahoe, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Lake Tahoe Airport in gusty, shifting wind, the G35 struggled to climb, crossed a ridge nose-high and then stalled into a backyard in South Lake Tahoe; both on board died. The NTSB found a downdraft beyond its climb ability; the pilot had no weather briefing.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| PrivateP35 Bonanza · Chadron, NE, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Waiting for an IFR clearance after leaving Chadron, Nebraska, the pilot stayed under VFR in low cloud and fog and flew the P35 into treetops on a ridge about 10 miles south of the airport; he died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateS35 Bonanza · Pagosa Springs, CO, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying a practice lap of an air race course near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, the S35 trailed white smoke and lost power when a connecting rod failed from oil starvation after improper engine assembly. Landing on a gravel road it hit a steel pole; both on board died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Kernersville, NC, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | On an ILS into Greensboro in cloud, the pilot, new to the A36 and its avionics, struggled with headings and altitudes, then said he was disoriented. The aircraft stalled and spun in at Kernersville, North Carolina; all three died. Poor ATC handling made it worse.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Private35-B33 Bonanza · EL Dorado, AR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Near the end of a 5.5-hour flight, circling to land at El Dorado, Arkansas, the Debonair lost engine power, stalled and crashed inverted into trees; the pilot died. The NTSB could not establish why the engine stopped; fuel on board was not known.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorC35 Bonanza · Hicksville, NY, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | On an air taxi flight near Hicksville, New York, the C35's crankshaft failed. ATC sent the pilot to Bethpage, a closed airport whose runway was long gone, and the aircraft hit a railroad crossing arm; the pilot died and the passenger survived. He had also misused amphetamine.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateN35 Bonanza · Weirsdale, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Love Field, Weirsdale, Florida, the N35 seemed low and slow and its engine began to miss; it hit trees about 1,000 ft past the runway and burned. Both on board died. Fire and impact damage kept the NTSB from finding why power was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| St. Croix Bonaza Association LLCM35 Bonanza · Amery, WI, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | About 7 miles after leaving New Richmond, Wisconsin, near its maximum weight with four on board, the M35 was seen climbing steeply, circling and spinning into a wheat field near Amery; all four died. The NTSB found the pilot lost control and stalled.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35B Bonanza · Colbert, OK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The V35B's engine stopped in cruise near Colbert, Oklahoma, because the fuel selector was badly positioned. ATC gave the pilot poor information on nearby airports; the forced landing hit trees and both on board died. The emergency checklist would have restored fuel flow.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF35 Bonanza · Riverside, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The F35's engine quit while the pilot was being vectored near Riverside, California. He chose to land into the wind on the farthest runway instead of a closer one and crashed short, killing himself. The NTSB could not find why the engine failed.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA35 Bonanza · Mazama, WA, United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | The pilot, not instrument rated, flew on under VFR into cloud over the North Cascades near Mazama, Washington, while a passenger navigated on his tablet and turned it off by mistake. The A35 hit a mountainside; two of the three on board died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Plainville, MA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | In cloud 15 miles from Norwood, Massachusetts, the A36's alternator drive coupling failed and wrecked the engine. Gliding in low cloud, the pilot could not find a place to land and hit a house in Plainville; all three on board died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Huggins, MO, United States of America | 4 killed / 5 on board | Taking off from a 2,000 ft grass strip at Huggins, Missouri, toward a gap in tall trees, the heavily loaded A36 turned right, pitched up, rolled left and dived into the ground at about 44 knots; four of the five on board died. The NTSB found an aerodynamic stall.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorF35 Bonanza · Everett, WA, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | On an instruction flight from Everett, Washington, the F35 climbed slowly after takeoff as if short of power, then sank into wetland past the runway; the instructor died and the student survived. Debris in the fuel servo, let in by a wrongly fitted screen, restricted fuel flow.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Bhb OF The Sandhills LLCA36 Bonanza · Siler City, NC, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Flying the A36 to Siler City, North Carolina, for alternator repair with the gear left down and a handheld radio, the pilot turned tightly onto final, stalled and hit trees 500 ft short of the runway. One of the two on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Plainview, TX, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Warned of a severe thunderstorm, the pilot took off from Plainview, Texas, as the storm's gust front reached the airport. The A36 banked left, reached about 80 ft and dived into the ground; all three on board died.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| Private36 Bonanza · Mountain Pass, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Cruising at 7,500 ft on a dark night over the desert near Mountain Pass, California, the Bonanza dropped off radar in an area of poor coverage and hit the ground; both on board died. The NTSB could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35A Bonanza · Seagoville, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Arriving at Mesquite, Texas, in cloud, the pilot flew six failed instrument approaches and refused to divert because fuel was low. On the sixth he said he was tired of flying; the V35A turned and dived into terrain near Seagoville and he died. The NTSB found a loss of control.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Coleman John E JRS35 Bonanza · Laurel Hill, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Moving the S35 for hangar storage from Crestview, Florida, the pilot went on despite a long run-up hinting at engine trouble. Nine minutes later cylinder detonation damage broke several connecting rods and the engine quit; it crashed near Laurel Hill and he died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35B Bonanza · Novato, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | At night in cloud near Novato, California, the pilot reported a power loss, then regained it, but confusing ATC instructions and his own lost bearings followed. Trying a visual approach in cloud, he flew the V35B into terrain and died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG36 Bonanza · Silver City, NM, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Landing at Whiskey Creek, Silver City, New Mexico, in a gusty crosswind with storms nearby, the pilot banked steeply onto final, touched down fast and long, then went around. The G36 met a tailwind or windshear, stalled and hit a power line; all four on board died.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33 Bonanza · Lumberport, WV, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a local flight from Fairmont, West Virginia, the F33A wandered in altitude, then dived at up to 9,600 ft per minute into a ridge near Lumberport; the pilot died. The NTSB found he likely had a stroke or heart event; he had hidden disqualifying medical history.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| Arizona Cloudbusters Inc35-33 Bonanza · Telluride, CO, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Taking off from Telluride, Colorado, elevation 9,070 ft, into cloud on a flying club training flight, the Debonair never achieved a positive climb and hit steep terrain below a cliff band half a mile from the runway; all three pilots on board died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Grey Aviation Advisors & Solutions IncG36 Bonanza · Panama City, FL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | About 60 miles from Destin, Florida, the G36's engine stopped and the pilot headed for a nearby airstrip but crashed in a wooded swamp a mile short, killing him. The tanks were dry: the NTSB found poor fuel planning. He wore his lap belt but not the shoulder harness.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36TC Bonanza · Chatlottesville, VA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On approach to Charlottesville, Virginia, the A36TC Bonanza's engine stopped because the fuel selector was left between tank positions; the commercial pilot died in the crash, partly because his frayed shoulder harness broke.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateB36TC Bonanza · Yellow Pine, ID, United States of America | 5 killed / 5 on board | Flying in cloud over the Idaho mountains from Baker City, Oregon, to Butte, the B36TC Bonanza picked up ice and its engine lost power from induction icing; it crashed near Yellow Pine, and the pilot and his four passengers died.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateB36TC Bonanza · Amarillo, TX, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | At night in cloud, the private pilot, who had no instrument rating, flew an instrument approach to Amarillo, Texas, in the B36TC Bonanza he had bought 12 days earlier; on the missed approach he lost control and all three on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Avery Enterprises IncE35 Bonanza · West Yellowstone, MT, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | After its generator failed, the E35 diverted to West Yellowstone, Montana. The pilot, unable to hear the airport on a radio turned all the way down, overshot the turn to final, stalled and crashed; one of the two on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33A Bonanza · Ennis, TX, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Near Bardwell, Texas, the pilot told ATC the F33A had fuel issues and asked for the nearest airport. In the forced landing it hit trees and burned; both on board died. The fire destroyed the evidence, and the NTSB could not determine why the engine lost power.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Aps Aviation LLCA36 Bonanza · Alma, GA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Cruising at 5,000 ft in clear weather toward Lawrenceville, Georgia, the A36 began a gradual descent with no distress call and flew through trees onto a road near Alma; both on board died. The NTSB found no fault or sign of incapacitation and could not determine why.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateJ35 Bonanza · Helena, MT, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a practice flight near Helena, Montana, after a month without flying, the pilot let the J35's airspeed fall while manoeuvring; it stalled, spun and hit flat ground, killing him. A witness thought it swerved to avoid another aircraft, but the tower saw none nearby.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Mountainaire, AZ, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Taking off from Flagstaff, Arizona, at a density altitude near 9,000 ft, the A36 climbed so slowly that it never got clear of the trees; it crashed about 3 miles away and both on board died. The NTSB found the pilot could not keep a climb in the thin air.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Central Flying Service, Inc.A36 Bonanza · Richwood, LA, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | On a localizer approach to Monroe, Louisiana, in cloud, the A36 overshot the course and arrived too high, so the tower sent it around. In the missed approach it made a tight descending turn and crashed near Richwood; all four on board died. The NTSB found a loss of control.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Floyd Johnston Construction CO IncV35A Bonanza · Woody, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Descending in cloud toward Fresno, the V35A met icing, stopped answering ATC and broke up in flight near Porterville, California; both on board died. The NTSB found the ice led to a stall and breakup.Type: IcingNTSB docket | |
| PrivateH35 Bonanza · Palm Coast, FL, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | The H35 lost oil pressure and then all power near Palm Coast, Florida, after a connecting rod failed from oil starvation. ATC vectored it too far from the airport and it hit trees and a house short of the runway; all three on board died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateP35 Bonanza · Correctionville, IA, United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | Approaching a grass strip at Correctionville, Iowa, at night as thick fog rolled in, the pilot did not go around; the P35 hit trees and terrain about 1/4 mile from the airport and burned. Two of the three on board died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Hooksett, NH, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a VFR flight from Nashua toward Laconia, New Hampshire, the A36 stopped answering ATC, turned back south and came down beside Interstate 93 at Hooksett; both on board died. The autopsy showed the pilot, who had heart disease, had a heart attack in flight.Type: OtherNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Kansasville, WI, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | In clear daylight at 6,000 ft near Kansasville, Wisconsin, the A36 tipped forward and dived into the ground without any radio call; the pilot died. Neither the wreckage nor his autopsy explained the loss of control, and the NTSB could not determine a cause.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36TC Bonanza · Clifton Park, NY, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Three minutes after leaving Albany, New York, the A36TC Bonanza lost all engine power; in the forced landing near Clifton Park it hit trees, and both pilots on board died. Tests did not show why the engine stopped.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Macon, MS, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On an IFR flight from Clearwater to Norman, the pilot tried to pass through a gap in a line of thunderstorms using datalink weather images that were 6 to 7 minutes old. The A36 entered a heavy cell near Macon, Mississippi, and broke up in the turbulence; the pilot died.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorV35B Bonanza · Sumerduck, VA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a flight review near Warrenton, Virginia, the V35B collided with a Piper PA-28 at about 1,800 ft. The Bonanza broke up and the pilot and instructor died; the Piper pilot landed in a pasture. Canada's TSB, which led the inquiry, found neither pilot saw the other in time.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35B Bonanza · Las Vegas, NM, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Taking off at night from Las Vegas, New Mexico, the pilot, who had no logged night experience, crashed at high speed about 4 miles southeast of the airport and died. The NTSB found no fault in the aircraft and could not determine why control was lost.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Unknown operatorS35 Bonanza · Lake IN The Hills, IL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Flying touch-and-goes at Lake in the Hills, Illinois, with an instructor in gusty wind, the S35 overshot the turn to final, banked steeply, stalled and spun in near Crystal Lake; both pilots died. It is not known which of them was flying.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Private35 Bonanza · Glencoe, MN, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | The pilot, who had no instrument rating and no weather briefing, flew on under VFR into low cloud near Glencoe, Minnesota. The Bonanza was overstressed and broke up, losing a wing and then the tail; all three on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Jim Lafferty Aircraft SalesB36 Bonanza · Panoche, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Near the end of a delivery flight from England to San Jose, the newly bought B36TC Bonanza descended at night into the Diablo Range near Panoche, California, and the ferry pilot died. The NTSB found he had lost track of the terrain around him.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · St. Paul, OR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | A V35 and a Piper PA-44 on an instruction flight collided in a common practice area near St. Paul, Oregon. The Bonanza was destroyed and its pilot died; the two in the Piper landed unhurt. The NTSB found the Bonanza pilot could not see the other aircraft in time.Type: Mid-air collisionNTSB docket | |
| Fly Corona!E33 Bonanza · Daggett, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | In cruise near Barstow, California, a connecting rod broke and the E33's engine failed. Descending toward an airport 21 miles away, the pilot pulled up to clear power lines; the aircraft stalled and spun in, killing all three. The engine was well past its overhaul time.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG35 Bonanza · Byron, GA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Descending steeply toward Perry, Georgia, at about 180 knots, above the never-exceed speed, the G35 overstressed: the stabilizers broke, then a wing, near Byron, and the pilot died. The NTSB found sustained flight above the speed limit.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Bonanza Air, Inc.A36 Bonanza · Williston, ND, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | On a low-level aerial photography flight near Williston, North Dakota, the engine lost power after the right tank ran dry. Trying to land in an open field, the A36 hit the ground with a wing; the pilot died and the passenger survived. The NTSB found poor fuel management.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Charlevoix, MI, United States of America | 2 killed / 3 on board | Breaking out of a 200 ft ceiling halfway down the runway at Charlevoix, Michigan, the pilot did not go around but circled low to land. Turning toward the runway, the A36 pitched up, stalled and fell; two of the three on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Ellijay, GA, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | On a local sightseeing flight from Ellijay, Georgia, in good weather, the V35B hit a tree on Rich Mountain and crashed with its engine at power; all four on board died and the wreck was found two days later. The NTSB found the pilot did not keep clear of terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| 33 Yankee IncF33A Bonanza · Taos, NM, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Crossing the mountains near Angel Fire, New Mexico, on an unfamiliar route without an updated briefing, the pilot flew into cloud, snow and icing; the F33A climbed and descended in turns, then hit wooded terrain at 10,700 ft. The pilot died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateS35 Bonanza · Chester, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Arriving at Chester, California, on a dark night, the 76-year-old pilot turned onto the downwind leg but the S35 kept descending at high speed into a frozen lake beside the runway; both on board died. The NTSB found a loss of control, most likely spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Theodore, AL, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a night currency flight from St Elmo, Alabama, in poor weather, the newly instrument-rated pilot asked ATC for a clearance back, then the A36 turned, climbed and descended below the clouds and crashed; he died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateC35 Bonanza · Enterprise, OR, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The C35 was found on the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon, on a flight from Walla Walla to Enterprise; the pilot died. The NTSB found the pilot, not instrument rated, planned poorly for rain, fog and low cloud and flew into mountainous terrain.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Judson James W JRB36TC Bonanza · Rienzi, MS, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Cruising in cloud from Olive Branch, Mississippi, to Atlanta, the B36TC Bonanza flew on into known bad weather and broke up in flight near Rienzi, Mississippi; both on board died. The controller had not given the pilot precipitation information, which contributed.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA35 Bonanza · Blue Diamond, NV, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | After flying 1.5 hours on the right tank, the pilot of the A35 lost engine power near Las Vegas and could not restart it. In the forced landing on a highway the aircraft hit an embankment and one of the two on board died. The NTSB found fuel starvation.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| John C Gomes III TrusteeF33 Bonanza · Phoenix, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Landing at Phoenix Deer Valley, Arizona, after a local proficiency flight, the F33A Bonanza lost part of its engine power on approach and hit a building; the private pilot died. The NTSB could not find why the power dropped.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateC35 Bonanza · Rollinsville, CO, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | The C35 was found burned in a narrow wooded valley near Rollins Pass, Colorado, after striking trees; all three on board died. The propeller showed little or no rotation, but the NTSB could not find why the engine lost power.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Private35-C33 Bonanza · Tolar, TX, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | About 10 minutes after leaving Stephenville, Texas, on a dark, moonless night, the Debonair was seen in a descending spiral and crashed into a hay field near Tolar; all three on board died. The NTSB found the pilot became spatially disoriented.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateF33A Bonanza · Perry, KS, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Near Perry Lake, Kansas, the F33A's engine-driven fuel pump seized on foreign particles and the engine quit. Turning low toward a nearby airport, the pilot stalled and both on board died; he had not switched on the electric boost pump, which would have restored power.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Seligman, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying at night from Santa Fe, the A36 Bonanza hit mountainous terrain about 10 miles northeast of Seligman, Arizona; the wreckage was found five days later. The commercial pilot and owner, alone, died. The NTSB found he did not keep clear of the terrain in the dark.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Lidderdale, IA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Told three times that VFR flight was not recommended, the pilot, who had no instrument rating, set off anyway; the A36 hit a farm field at high speed near Lidderdale, Iowa, under a low overcast, consistent with a failed dive recovery. Both on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG35 Bonanza · Marble, CO, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | Trying to land at a private mountain airstrip near Marble, Colorado, with the rising sun in his eyes, the pilot overflew it and turned back but misjudged the turn and climb at high altitude and flew into the mountainside. One of the three on board died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| Poelking Air LLCB36TC Bonanza · Dayton, OH, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Minutes after leaving Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport, Ohio, the B36TC Bonanza's engine failed when its No. 1 main bearing broke; turning back for a downwind landing, it hit the ground short of the runway and burned. Both on board died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateK35 Bonanza · Boulder City, NV, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Low on fuel near Boulder City, Nevada, the pilot could not find the airport, glided toward the runway and hit power lines on final, likely blinded by the low sun; he died. The NTSB found fuel starvation from poor fuel management.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateP35 Bonanza · Edgewater, MD, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On final to Lee Airport, Edgewater, Maryland, about 300 ft up, the P35 stalled, banked right and fell into trees; the pilot died. The NTSB found he let the airspeed get too low, likely impaired by back pain, opiate withdrawal or both.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Cooper Aviation LLCA36 Bonanza · Winslow, AR, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | Descending into cloud with reported icing for an approach to Fayetteville, Arkansas, the A36 flew through the approach course several times, then flew an erratic path and hit terrain near Winslow; all four on board died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Eagle Pass, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying a GPS approach to Eagle Pass, Texas, in dense fog well below the minimums, the pilot continued without seeing the runway and hit the airport perimeter fence about 750 ft east of it, apparently mistaking a road for the runway; he died.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · San Gabriel, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | About 15 minutes after leaving La Verne, California, an exhaust clamp weakened by corrosion broke and started an engine fire. The pilot made a forced landing beside a railway at San Gabriel; the A36 bounced along and he died in the fire.Type: FireNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Spring Branch, TX, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | In cruise at 9,000 ft through heavy rain near Bulverde, Texas, the A36 meandered, turned and descended, then broke up at low altitude; all three on board died. The pilot was new to the aircraft and had no recent instrument flying. The NTSB found a loss of control.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Flat Rock, NC, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Returning to Asheville, North Carolina, under VFR in fog a few hundred feet above the mountains, the pilot, whose instrument rating was not current, flew the A36 into trees and terrain and died. He had not told ATC about the weather or asked for terrain warnings.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Oklahoma City, OK, United States of America | 1 killed / 5 on board | Two miles after takeoff from Oklahoma City, the V35B lost engine power, as it had twice that week without being checked. The forced landing hit a tree and a light pole; the pilot died and four passengers survived. The engine ran normally in later tests.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateC35 Bonanza · Weslaco, TX, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | The C35 took off from Edinburg, Texas, with one tip tank empty after a fuel nozzle fell into it, so it rolled left in flight. Landing at Weslaco it bounced; in the go-around turn control was lost and it hit the ground, killing one of the two on board.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35A Bonanza · Northway, AK, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | The V35A disappeared on a flight from Palmer, Alaska, to Whitehorse in marginal weather; a long search found no trace of the aircraft or its two occupants. The NTSB recorded the cause as unknown because the aircraft is missing.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Unknown causeNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Beauregard, AL, United States of America | 2 killed / 4 on board | The A36's engine quit twice in cruise near Beauregard, Alabama, and the pilot made a forced landing in a pasture, hitting trees and a hay bale; two of the four on board died. Fuel had been drained before the flight and the pilot never used the tip tanks: fuel starvation.Type: FuelNTSB docket | |
| PrivateK35 Bonanza · Lantana, FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Just after takeoff from Lantana, Florida, the K35's engine ran rough and quit about 100 ft up. Turning back, it hit two parked aircraft and a trailer; both on board died. An idler gear support pin had been left without its fastening hardware during an engine repair.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Skyblue USA LLCA36 Bonanza · Avalon, CA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Leaving Catalina Island in low cloud and gusty wind, the low-time pilot did not follow the published departure, turned and manoeuvred low over the hills, then entered a steep descending turn into a canyon; all three on board died. The NTSB found a loss of control in cloud.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Warner Springs, CA, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Near Warner Springs, California, a witness saw the V35B pull straight up, stall, spin and dive twice; on the second pull-out it hit a field and both on board died. The NTSB found the pilot did not keep clear of the ground during low-level manoeuvres.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Private36 Bonanza · Louisville, KY, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | On a GPS approach to Louisville, Kentucky, the pilot reported an engine failure; it hit a tree and crashed on a golf course, killing him. The crankshaft broke after an overhaul 58 hours earlier sealed the case wrongly; he had flown on with known oil pressure problems.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| Private35-B33 Bonanza · Homosassa Spgs., FL, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Briefed three times on embedded thunderstorms, the pilot flew the Debonair into a line of storms over the Gulf of Mexico off Yankeetown, Florida. Radar showed a descending turn, then contact was lost; only debris was found and both on board died.Type: Windshear or stormNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Coalinga, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 3 on board | Climbing out at night in cloud near Coalinga, California, the A36 Bonanza lost engine power for reasons the NTSB could not determine; in the forced landing one passenger died, and the pilot and the other passenger had minor injuries.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Carlsbad, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | Flying an ILS to Carlsbad, California, in fog below the approach minimums, the newly instrument-rated pilot drifted off course, tried to abort the approach and radioed that he was in trouble. The A36 hit a hillside and he died. The NTSB found he lost control.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateG35 Bonanza · South Easton, MA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | A volunteer charity pilot who was not instrument current lost control while being vectored for an approach to Boston in cloud. The G35 wandered off heading and altitude, then dived into a parking lot near Easton, Massachusetts; all three on board died.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA36 Bonanza · Tampa, FL, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Taking off from Tampa's Vandenberg airport with a tailwind and from the last third of the runway, the A36 drifted left, hit a glideslope antenna with a wing and burned; all three on board died. The NTSB blamed the tailwind takeoff and poor runway alignment.Type: Runway excursionNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35B Bonanza · Fall River Mills, CA, United States of America | 4 killed / 4 on board | After a low pass over a golf course at Fall River Mills, California, with gear and flaps down, the V35 banked right to land, stalled and dived into trees; all four on board died. The NTSB found the pilot let the airspeed get too low while manoeuvring to land.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35 Bonanza · Bristol, OH, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | Cruising at 9,000 ft in cloud near Bristol, Ohio, after failing to climb above the tops, the V35 turned off course and entered a tightening spiral dive, then broke up at low altitude; both on board died. The NTSB found spatial disorientation in instrument conditions.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| PrivateA35 Bonanza · Americus, GA, United States of America | 3 killed / 3 on board | Seen taking off from Americus, Georgia, in a hurry and without a run-up, the A36 rolled gently right until its wings were vertical and hit the ground with the engine at full power; all three on board died. The NTSB found no fault and no reason for the loss of control.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket | |
| Bzm Llc.A36 Bonanza · Cumberland, MD, United States of America | 2 killed / 2 on board | On a night localizer/DME approach to Cumberland, Maryland, in low cloud, the Bonanza drifted off the approach course and hit trees on a ridge about 3 miles from the runway; both on board died. The NTSB found no fault and could not say why the pilot left the course.Cause not yet established; counted.Type: Flight into terrainNTSB docket | |
| PrivateV35B Bonanza · Selma, CA, United States of America | 1 killed / 1 on board | The V35B Bonanza broke up in flight over a vineyard west of Selma, California, soon after leaving Fresno; the commercial pilot, alone, died. The NTSB found he lost control and overstressed the airframe, with several medical conditions and recent alcohol use contributing.Type: Loss of control in flightNTSB docket |
Listed but not counted
These events happened on military, test or illegal flights, or were caused by a crime or a deliberate act, which says little about the aircraft design.
| Date | Flight | Killed | Why not counted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown operatorG35 Bonanza · Surprise, AZ, United States of America | 1 killed / 2 on board | Test flight. On a post-maintenance test flight from Glendale, Arizona, also used to check out a private pilot, the G35's throttle cable came loose because the mechanic left out a cotter pin. With the engine stuck at idle it hit trees in Surprise; the instructor died.Type: Engine failureNTSB docket |
The Beechcraft Bonanza has a worse record per flight than the plain trainers, and it is almost entirely a private-owner record. Of 210 counted fatal accidents in the United States since 2008, 196 were personal or business flights. Nine were training flights, four were ferry flights and one was an air taxi. Together they killed 382 people, up to 28 October 2026. One more, a maintenance test flight near Surprise, Arizona, in 2016, is listed but not counted, because test flights are left out.
What is a Bonanza, and who flies one?
It is a four- to six-seat single-engine piston plane with retractable landing gear, first flown in 1945. The Model 35 with its V-shaped tail was built until 1982. The Model 33 Debonair has a conventional tail, and the longer Model 36 is still in production. About 10,000 are on the US register today. Owners fly them cross-country for business and family trips.
How does the Bonanza compare with other singles?
The comparison uses only the United States: fatal accidents there since 2008, from the NTSB database, divided by US flights (take-off to final landing) we estimate from the FAA register and the FAA General Aviation survey. The survey gives hours for all single-engine pistons together; airframe hours in NTSB accident records and, to a lesser degree, hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers set each type's share. Those measures show that Bonanzas make far fewer flights per aircraft than school trainers. A flight in any small plane carries far more risk than an airline flight. See our method and the small planes ranking.
By this yardstick and on our estimates, the Bonanza has more than six times as many fatal accidents per flight as the Cessna 172, and it sits near the bottom of the singles. Confidence is medium: there are many events, but the flight estimate has a wide margin of error, so the likely score range is wide.
What goes wrong
Loss of control tops the list (75 events), then engine failure (43), flight into terrain (26) and fuel (19). Weather runs through many of them. On 15 May 2024 a V35 flew into developing storms near Franklin, Tennessee, and broke up; all three died. Another case: on 31 May 2012 an A36 pilot used weather images 6 to 7 minutes old to pick a gap in a line of storms near Macon, Mississippi. He died when the aircraft entered a heavy cell and broke up.
Fuel is the quiet pattern. Of 19 fuel events, many involve the tank selector: on 5 July 2019 an A36 lost power near Chebanse, Illinois, when the selected left tank ran dry while the right held about 25 gallons. One person died. Check the selector and tanks every time.
Maintenance matters too. On 3 May 2016 a V35B's vacuum pump, past its replacement time, failed in cloud. The aircraft broke up over Syosset, New York, and three people died.
Training flights
Only nine counted events were training. One of the latest is a P35 familiarisation flight at Centennial, Colorado, on 5 September 2025: the student and instructor died after the engine appeared to stop. The investigation has not published a cause.
Questions for the pilot
- How many hours do you have in this model, and when did you last fly with an instructor?
- Are you instrument-rated and current? Will we fly in cloud?
- How much fuel is on board, and which tank do you start on?
- Is this a night flight or one near storms? If yes, expect to wait or drive.
Check a pilot's certificate and ratings in the FAA airmen inquiry. Look up past accidents of an N-number in the NTSB database.
How to tell if you are on one
Flight trackers show BE33, BE35, BE36 or B36T. For a faster complex single see the Mooney M20, and for a similar owner-flown type the Cirrus SR22.
Questions people ask
Is the V-tail Bonanza more dangerous than other Bonanzas?
Our data cannot say. The V-tail (Model 35) accounts for 95 of the 210 counted US fatal events since 2008, but we do not know what share of the flying hours the V-tails do. Investigators in these cases name weather, fuel and loss of control far more often than the tail design.
How many fatal Bonanza accidents are there each year?
About 11 a year in the United States. Up to 28 October 2026 we count 210 since 2008, which killed 382 people.
Is a Bonanza safe for a passenger?
On our estimates, risk per flight is more than six times that of a Cessna 172. It depends heavily on the pilot: instrument currency, weather decisions and fuel planning matter more than the aircraft model. Ask about them before you fly.
What ICAO code does a Bonanza have?
BE35 for the Model 35 V-tail, BE33 for the Model 33 Debonair and Bonanza, BE36 for the Model 36 and A36, and B36T for the turbocharged A36TC and B36TC.
Do Bonanzas break up in flight?
Rarely, but it appears in the record. About a dozen of the 210 events describe a breakup, usually after the pilot lost control in cloud or a storm and the speed climbed past the airframe's limits.
Sources
- 1.NTSB docket: Beechcraft V35 Bonanza, Franklin, Tennessee, 15 May 2024 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 2.NTSB docket: Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, Macon, Mississippi, 31 May 2012 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 3.NTSB docket: Beechcraft V35 Bonanza, Syosset, New York, 3 May 2016 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 4.NTSB docket: Beechcraft A36 Bonanza, Chebanse, Illinois, 5 July 2019 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 5.NTSB docket: Beechcraft P35 Bonanza, Englewood, Colorado, 5 September 2025 (opens in a new tab) · National Transportation Safety Board
- 6.SafetyScorer exposure model: FAA aircraft register, FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey, OpenSky ADS-B, NTSB airframe hours (opens in a new tab)Flights of all kinds in the United States (private, training, charter and other civil use) 2008 to 3 November 2026, each counted from take-off to final landing: the hours of all US piston singles in each year (active aircraft and hours from the FAA General Aviation and Part 135 Activity Survey), split between types by US-registered aircraft (FAA register, 9,911 of this type in 2024) times how much each type flies against its class (0.94, mostly from airframe hours in NTSB accident records, partly from hours per aircraft seen by ADS-B receivers in 2019-2022), at 0.96 hours per flight from ADS-B tracks: about 81 flights per registered aircraft per year in 2024. Flights and accidents outside the United States, or before 2008, are not used. Against the FAA's hours per helicopter model, this method is off by about 22% on a typical type. Uncertainty roughly ±25%.
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