What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 02/26/2026 at 1605 LCL, privacy data omitted, a Beechcraft bonanza, was involved in an accident in Durango, Colorado (kdro) during landing and touchdown due to a loss of control. The aircraft departed airport H81, river falls airport in amarillo Texas at approximately 1500 LCL and arrived at Durango, CO (kdro) airport shortly after 1600 LCL. The pilot, john w sabo, stated that he had attempted to land in severe crosswinds (28 knots gusting to 44 knots), accompanied by low-level wind shear over the threshold during landing. privacy data omitted Experienced a loss of directional control during flare and rollout, culminating in a runway excursion and resulting in an accident with substantial damage. The aircraft experienced a ground strike of the left wingtip/landing gear, propeller strike, structural airframe substantial damage, and destruction of four airport runway edge lights. The aircraft came to rest 265 feet off the runway surface. The conditions exceeded the aircrafts maximum demonstrated crosswind component which resulted in rudder ineffectiveness, a heavy and firm landing leading to a left-wing strike and uncontrolled off-runway excursion. There were 2 souls on board, the pilot and one passenger. There were no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON 02/26/2026 AT 1605 LCL, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, A BEECHCRAFT BONANZA, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT IN DURANGO, COLORADO (KDRO) DURING LANDING AND TOUCHDOWN DUE TO A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AIRPORT H81, RIVER FALLS AIRPORT IN AMARILLO TEXAS AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 LCL AND ARRIVED AT DURANGO, CO (KDRO) AIRPORT SHORTLY AFTER 1600 LCL. THE PILOT, JOHN W SABO, STATED THAT HE HAD ATTEMPTED TO LAND IN SEVERE CROSSWINDS (28 KNOTS GUSTING TO 44 KNOTS), ACCOMPANIED BY LOW-LEVEL WIND SHEAR OVER THE THRESHOLD DURING LANDING. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING FLARE AND ROLLOUT, CULMINATING IN A RUNWAY EXCURSION AND RESULTING IN AN ACCIDENT WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A GROUND STRIKE OF THE LEFT WINGTIP/LANDING GEAR, PROPELLER STRIKE, STRUCTURAL AIRFRAME SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND DESTRUCTION OF FOUR AIRPORT RUNWAY EDGE LIGHTS. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST 265 FEET OFF THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE CONDITIONS EXCEEDED THE AIRCRAFTS MAXIMUM DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND COMPONENT WHICH RESULTED IN RUDDER INEFFECTIVENESS, A HEAVY AND FIRM LANDING LEADING TO A LEFT-WING STRIKE AND UNCONTROLLED OFF-RUNWAY EXCURSION. THERE WERE 2 SOULS ON BOARD, THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.