Beech S35 accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, September 25, 2015
On September 25, 2015 at about 5:26 pm local time, a 1964 Beech S35, registered N193Q, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Improper engine assembly by unknown maintenance personnel, which resulted in the failure of the No. 6 connecting rod due to oil starvation from the shifting of the crankshaft's No. 4 main bearing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2015 · about 5:26 pm local time
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35, built 1964 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N193Q · no longer on the register · serial D-7708
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the day before an air race competition, the accident pilot and another pilot decided to execute a practice circuit of the race course in their airplanes. As the two airplanes entered the course, the accident airplane was behind the other airplane. After they passed the first course waypoint, the accident pilot radioed the other pilot and stated that his airplane's engine had lost power and that the airplane was going down. No further communications were heard from the accident airplane. Witnesses observed white smoke coming from the underside of the airplane before they lost sight of it. Examination of the accident site indicated that the pilot was attempting to land on a gravel road when the airplane impacted a steel pole adjacent to the road and traveled about 200 yards before coming to rest inverted. Examination of the engine showed that the No. 6 connecting rod failed due to oil starvation. The oil starvation resulted from movement of the No. 4 main crankshaft bearing to a position where it blocked the oil transfer passage to the No. 6 connecting rod. The engine thru-bolts were improperly torqued by unknown maintenance personnel, and this allowed the No. 4 main bearing movement to occur. In addition, disassembly of the engine revealed that unapproved pistons had been installed. However, the unapproved pistons were not related to the engine failure.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,640 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 3,307 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DRO Durango CO
- Destination: PSO Pagosa Springs CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.44 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from DRO, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.