# NTSB DEN78FA029: Beech 95-C55, N885M, Durango, CO, March 2, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: March 2, 1978
- Place: Durango, CO · DURANGO, CO
- Location: 37.2645° N, 107.8741° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Durango, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2645&lon=-107.8741&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report May 9, 1978
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 143296
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN78FA029
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN78FA029

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0676   78/3/2    DURANGO,CO          BEECH 95-C55        CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 48, 1207
        TIME - 2026                    N885M               PX-  3  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 275 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - DURANGO LAPLATA
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ARLINGTON,TX                DURANGO,CO
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  LANDING: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION AND/OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IFR OPERATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - SNOW
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  1500
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      37
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      IFR
        REMARKS- CIRCLED VICINITY A/P APPROX 4MIN.PLT ACTIVATED RWY LIGHTS NOT ON.RECOVERY DATE 3/3/78.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N885M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N885M-1980-10-07), registration cancelled 1980-10-07, S/N TE258 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 95-C55
- Registry model: [Beech 95-C55](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-95-c55) (registry code 1152708) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Durango Laplata

## 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 19780302042339A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780302042339A), Mar 2, 1978: Beech 95C55, CO, Destroyed, 3 fatal

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.