CEN25LA126

NTSB accident investigation · Beech V35 · Engelwood, CO · March 16, 2025

Accident · No injuriesClass 3 · LimitedPreliminary report
Date
March 16, 2025, 17:41 local (23:41 UTC)
Place
Engelwood, CO
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N7987RBeech V35
Defining event
Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing gear collapse
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Investigation ongoing
Investigation class
Class 3
NTSB office
Central Region
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20250316003019A
Case key
199864

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Preliminary report

What NTSB knew early in the investigation. It may change in the final report.

On March 16, 2025, at 1741 mountain daylight time, a Beech V35 airplane, N7987R, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Englewood, Colorado. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot noticed an alternator caution light and corresponding indication on his primary flight display (PFD) while enroute to his destination. He performed electrical load shedding procedures and arrived at his destination with enough remaining battery power to maintain radio communications and extend the landing gear and flaps. The pilot reported that the landing was normal in all respects, to include the gear indicator light, until the right main landing gear collapsed followed by the collapse of the front and then the left main landing gear. The airplane departed the runway and impacted a taxiway sign and taxi light, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. Security camera video was obtained that showed the landing gear were extended before touchdown and the initial landing roll appeared normal before the landing gear collapse. The airplane was retained for further examination.

Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.

Aircraft

Registration
N7987R
Reported as
Beech V35 (A)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
D-8975
Built
1969
Airframe hours
9,230
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Hopeful Monster LLC
Registered owner
Hopeful Monster LLC
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility
Last inspection
Annual · November 1, 2024
Departed
KBFI · Seattle, WA
Destination
KAPA · Engelwood, CO
Flight plan
IFR
Airport
APA · Centennial Airport, runway 35L, 7,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
Equipment
Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
290° at 9 knots, gusting 23
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
22,000 ft broken
Temperature
61 °F, dew point 10 °F
Altimeter
29.88 inHg
Observed at
KAPA
METAR
KAPA 162353Z 29009G23KT 270V340 10SM FEW070 FEW160 BKN220 16/M12 A2988 RMK AO2 PK WND 28030/2333 SLP100 ACSL DSNT W T01611117 10167 20089 53001

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.