- Date
- December 25, 1983, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Near Dove Creek, CO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8675MBeech P35
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19831225063619A
- Case key
- 16190
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The acft collided with mountainous terrain about 30 miles northwest of cortez co. the plt was on an IFR flt plan and had been advised before flt of hazardous icing conditions enroute. When the acft iced up the plt reversed course and even though descending below mea he managed to stay clear of the terrain until he turned southeast toward cortez over higher terrain. He was out of direct radio contact with denver center because of his altitude. Denver was able to relay through an airliner until all contact was lost at 0927 MST. A search was initiated and by ELT help the acft waslocated 3 hours after radar contact was lost. The plts handbook for the Beech 35 stated: 'warning, flt in known icing conditions prohibited'. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the acft impacted tall pine trees in a wings level 10-15 deg nose low attitude. The acft came to final rest in a densely forested snow covered area between 2 large pine trees. Shoulder harnesses were not installed in the acft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8675M
- Reported as
- Beech P35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D7296
- Airframe hours
- 2,737
- Engine
- Continental IO-470-N, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- George Chamberlin
- Registered owner
- Bonanza Flyers, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 5, 1983 · 14 hours before
- Departed
- SDL · Scottsdale, AZ
- Destination
- GUC · Gunnison, CO
- Flight plan
- IFR
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 649 total · 239 in this make and model · 526 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CE2, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.