Aircraft model
BEECH 35-C33A
Everything here is true of every aircraft of the type, not of any one aircraft.
The C33A is the Debonair with the 285 hp Continental IO-520 in place of the 225 hp IO-470, and it transforms the aeroplane: 175 knots and a 1,400 lb useful load, which makes it the equal of a V35 in everything but the tail. For many buyers it is the pick of the straight-tail 33 series.
The IO-520 is powerful and has a documented crankcase cracking history on high-time engines, so its provenance matters. Fuel burn is 15 to 16 gallons an hour. It avoids the V-tail airworthiness directive entirely, which is worth real money. Otherwise the ownership picture is standard Bonanza — expensive parts, retractable gear maintenance, and an insurer who will want a formal transition course before writing a policy.
What it is
| Seats | 4 |
|---|---|
| Landing gear | tricycle |
| Engines | 1 |
| Engine | Continental IO-520-B |
| Horsepower | 285 hp |
| Fuel | 100LL |
| Certification basis | CAR3 |
| Production start | 1966 |
| Production end | 1967 |
| Endorsements required | complex;high-performance |
Performance
| Cruise speed | 175 KTAS |
|---|---|
| Range | 700 nm |
| Service ceiling | 17,800 ft |
| Climb rate | 1,200 ft/min |
| Stall speed (Vso) | 52 KCAS |
| Takeoff over 50 ft | 1,220 ft |
| Landing over 50 ft | 1,250 ft |
Load and fuel
| Seats | 4 |
|---|---|
| Useful load | 1,400 lb |
| Full-fuel payload | 1,100 lb |
| Max takeoff weight | 3,300 lb |
| Empty weight | 1,900 lb |
| Usable fuel | 50 gal |
| Fuel burn at cruise | 16 gal/h |
Cost of ownership
| Price, low | $95,000 |
|---|---|
| Price, high | $210,000 |
| Prices as of | 2026 |
| Engine TBO | 1,700 h |
| Overhaul cost, low | $48,000 |
| Overhaul cost, high | $68,000 |
The fleet and its record
| Registered, all time | 143 |
|---|---|
| Active fleet | 113 |
| Median year built | 1966.0 |
| NTSB events, last 10 years | 2 |
| Fatal events, last 10 years | 0 |
| Events per 1,000 active, last 10 years | 17.7 per 1,000 active · base 113 active |
| Personal-flying events per 1,000 active | 17.7 per 1,000 active · base 113 active |
| Ownership transfers, last 24 months | 22 |
| Transfers per 100 active | 19.47 per 100 active · base 113 active |
| Airworthiness directives | 6 |
| Directives, last 5 years | 0 |
| Rate confidence | ok |
Peer scores
A score runs from 0 to 10 within the model's peer class: a position, not a grade, and the six are never added together.
| Peer class | Fixed wing single-engine, piston, 1 engine, 3-4 seats |
|---|---|
| Accident record | — · class median 28.36 · 202 models in class |
| Severity | — · class median 11.65 |
| Access | 0.6 of 10 · class median 767.75 |
| Support | 4.6 of 10 · class median 141.5 |
| Liquidity | 4.9 of 10 · class median 19.57 |