# Accident 20050403006429A: Beech E55, Fort Collins, CO, April 3, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 3, 2005, 14:51 local time
- Place: Fort Collins, CO
- Airport: Downtown Ft Collins Airpark
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.5883° N, 105.0422° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5883&lon=-105.0422&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3FJ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3FJ-2013-10-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech E-55 (registry code 1152732, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e-55) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-520 series (registry code 17032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH E55
- Reported engine: CONT IO520C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 1,000 total, 173 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN05FA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05FA047) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050403006429A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON APRIL 3, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 14:51MDT, N3FJ A BEECH E-55 CRASHED ON CLIMB OUT FROM RUNWAY 11 AT 3V5 (DOWNTOWN FORT COLLINS). THE PIC HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE, WITH AIRPLANE SEL/MEL AND INSTRUMENT RATINGS. HE WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT ON BOARD AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED .2 OF A MILE EAST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 11 AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ A COMMERCIAL BUILDING AT THIS ADDRESS WAS DAMAGED BY THE POST CRASH FIRE. THE VMC LOCAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR 91, NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED ON CLIMB OUT IN A STEEP LEFT BANK. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO ROLL LEFT UNTIL IMPACT. ON TEAR DOWN THE LEFT PROPELLER SHOWN LITTLE OR NO ROTATION IN THE LOW PITCH/HIGH RPM RANGE. THE RIGHT PROPELLER SHOWED ROTATION AND A HIGH ENERGY IMPACT IN THE LOW PITCH/HIGH RPM RANGE. ON TEAR DOWN THE LEFT ENGINE CYLINDERS NUMBER 1 AND NUMBER 6 SPARK PLUGS WERE FOULED. GEAR AND FLAPS WERE FOUND IN THE DOWN POSITION. ACCORDING TO THE CO-OWNER THE FLIGHT LOGS WERE KEPT ON BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. AT THIS TIME PILOTS LAST FLIGHT REVIEW AND HOURS ARE UNKNOWN.

## 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 DEN05FA047](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05FA047), Apr 3, 2005: Beech E55 (N3FJ), Fort Collins, CO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the left engine loss of power for reasons undetermined, and the pilot allowing the airspeed to drop below Vmc during an…

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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