El Paso International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79925
Saturday, October 5, 1985 17:55 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED HIS STRAIGHT-IN LANDING FINAL APCH WAS SMOOTH. THE AIRSPEED HAD DECREASED FROM 80 TO 65 KTS & THE ACFT'S WHEELS WERE ONLY INCHES ABOVE THE RWY WHEN THE RIGHT WING SUDDENLY LIFTED AND CAUSED THE ACFT TO VEER LEFT AND TOUCH DOWN ON THE DIRT BESIDE THE RWY. WIND WAS LIGHT AND VARIABLE WITH NO REPORTED GUSTS. THE PLT STATED THAT HE EITHERENCOUNTERED AN UNSEEN 'DUST DEVIL' ON THE RWY OR GOT INTO THE THE VORTEX TURBULENCE OF A LIGHT TWIN ENGINE ACFT (TYPE UNKNOWN) WHICH HAD JUST DEPARTED FROM THE SAME RWY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/5/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1755
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City EL PASO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79925
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EL PASO INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ELP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3956
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1755
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1652
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 8 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29029
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N35JW
NTSB Number FTW86LA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model K35
Aircraft Series Identifier K35
Aircraft Serial Number D-5872
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4832
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL ARNDT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 29604 STONECREST ROAD
Aircraft Owner City RANCHO PALOS VE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90274
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MAF
Departure City MIDLAND
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1516
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ELP
Destination City EL PASO
Destination State TX
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26L
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --