# Accident 19990228015059A: Beech 35C33, Leadville, CO, February 28, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 28, 1999, 08:07 local time
- Place: Leadville, CO
- Airport: Lake County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.2394° N, 106.2897° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2394&lon=-106.2897&mi=10
- Aircraft: N977MC, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N977MC) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech 35-C33 (registry code 1151408, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-35-c33) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental I0-470 series (registry code 17027, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-i0-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 35C33
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA043) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990228015059A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON FEBRUARY 28, 1999, AT 0807 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A BEECH 35-C33 DEBONAIR, N977MC, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING IMPACT WITH TERRAIN DURING INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF FROM LAKE COUNTY AIRPORT, LEADVILLE, COLORADO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS 2 PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PILOT/OWNER UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT WHICH WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 34 AND THE AIRPLANE "JUST DIDN'T SEEM TO HAVE THE POWER." THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN AND BOTH WINGS WERE BENT. (-23)PILOT DEPARTED LEADVILLE, CO(LXV) ON RUNWAY 34. WIND WAS 360 AT 10 KTS. GUSTING TO 17KTS. TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD, BAGGAGE AND 34 GALS. OF FUEL. TEMPERATURE 23 DEGREES F. AIRPORT ELEVATION 9927 FT. A/C ENGINE NORMALLY ASPIRATED. PILOT REPORTED INITIALING A SLOW CLIMBING TURN TO THE SOUTH 1-2 MILES AFTER DEPARTURE. A/C WAS PERFORMING SLOW BUT STEADY. AT APPROX. 8:06, THE A/C BEGAN TO SINK, HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO LOSS OF POWER. THE A/C WAS                                                     APPROACHING RISING TERRAIN WITH NO ALTERNATIVES. THE A/C IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN AND BOTH WINGS WERE DAMAGES. NO INJURIES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN99LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA043), Feb 28, 1999: Beech 35-C33 (N977MC), Leadville, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's in-flight decision to turn into rising terrain, and his decision to fly into and out of the airport in a heavy weight condition after the local flight instructor/FAA accident prevention…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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