- Date
- December 27, 1997, 14:51 local (21:51 UTC)
- Place
- Englewood, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5743KBeech 35-B33
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19971227043679A
- Case key
- 20504
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper decision to land in wind conditions that exceeded the airplane's crosswind component, and his failure to divert to an alternate airport with runways more nearly aligned with the wind. Factors were the icy runway and crosswind.
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 prevailing wind favored landing on runway 28, but it was closed due to a previous incident and the airplane was blocking the runway. The pilot accepted runway 35R for landing. The wind was from 290 degrees at 20 knots, with gusts to 28 knots. As the pilot aligned the airplane with the runway, he noticed 'snow fingers' across the runway so he planned his touchdown between the centerline and the right side of the runway. The airplane touched down and the crosswind caused the airplane to drift right. The airplane was substantially damaged when it struck a snow berm on the right side of the runway. According to the Beech Aircraft Corporation, the maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the Beech 35-B33 is 17 knots. This would produce a crosswind component of about 17 knots and a headwind component about 10 knots. Gusts of 28 knots would produce a crosswind component of about 24 knots and a headwind component of 14 knots.
Factual narrative
On December 27, 1997, at 1451 mountain standard time, a Beech 35-B33, N5743K, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged when it collided with a snow berm while landing at Englewood, Colorado. The private pilot and his passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Fort Worth, Texas, at 1115 central standard time, and made an en route stop at Wichita Falls, Texas.
According to the pilot, the prevailing wind favored landing on runway 28. The runway, however, was closed due to a previous incident and the airplane was blocking the runway. The pilot accepted runway 35R for landing. He said control tower personnel told him the wind was from 290 degrees at 20 knots, with gusts to 28 knots. As the pilot aligned the airplane with the runway, he noticed "snow fingers" across the runway so he planned his touchdown between the centerline and the right side of the runway. The airplane touched down and the crosswind caused the airplane to drift right. The airplane struck a snow berm on the right side of the runway, causing it to spin around.
According to the Beech Aircraft Corporation, the maximum demonstrated crosswind component for the Beech 35-B33 is 17 knots. Plotting the reported wind on the wind component chart, it was determined that a 60 degree crosswind at 20 knots would produce a crosswind component of about 17 knots and a headwind component about 10 knots. Gusts of 28 knots would produce a crosswind component of about 24 knots and a headwind component of 14 knots.
There was substantial damage to the right wing. Additionally, the landing gear collapsed and the engine was torn loose from its mounts.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5743K
- Reported as
- Beech 35-B33
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CD788
- Airframe hours
- 4,572
- Engine
- Teledyne Cont IO-470-K, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- L. Max Moseley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 24, 1997 · 91 hours before
- Departed
- SPS · Wichita Falls, TX
- Destination
- APA
- Airport
- APA · Centennial, runway 35R
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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 879 total · 177 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 14 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- APA
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.