# NTSB DEN77FA040: Beech J35, N83W, Lander, WY, May 4, 1977

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: May 4, 1977
- Place: Lander, WY · LANDER, WY
- Location: 42.8309° N, 108.7306° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Lander, WY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8309&lon=-108.7306&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report August 10, 1977
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 147097
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN77FA040
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN77FA040

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1603   77/5/4  NR.LANDER,WY          BEECH J35           CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 55, 778
        TIME - 1014                    N83W                PX-  3  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, UNK/NR IN
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          RAPID CITY,SD               BIG PINEY,WY
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           STALL: MUSH                                              IN FLIGHT: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO OBTAIN/MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED
           WEATHER - DOWNDRAFT,UPDRAFTS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     VFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- FLT OVR HIGH ROUGH TERRAIN.RVRSED CUS,SETTLED INTO ROCKY TERRAIN ELEV 11500FT.FOUND 6/6/77.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N83W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N83W-1977-10-04), registration cancelled 1977-10-04, S/N D-4963 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH J35
- Registry model: [Beech H35](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-h35) (registry code 1151520) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19770504021809A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19770504021809A), May 4, 1977: Beech H35, Lander, WY, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Flt ovr high rough terrain. Rvrsed cus,settled into rocky terrain elev 11500FT.found 6/6/77.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.