Beech 35 accident near Telluride, Colorado, March 27, 2023
On March 27, 2023 at about 5:38 pm local time, a 1947 Beech 35, registered N3233V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Telluride, Colorado (Telluride Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 2023 · about 5:38 pm local time
- Place
- Telluride, Colorado · Telluride Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35, built 1947 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N3233V · registry record · serial D-676
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane encountered a crosswind gust during the landing roll and subsequently departed the right side of the runway pavement onto snow covered terrain adjacent to the runway. The nose landing gear sunk into the soft ground adjacent to the runway and the airplane nosed over coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. According to the pilot, at the time of the accident, the airplane was landing on runway 27 with winds 18 knots gusting to 48 knots from a south-southwest direction.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,057 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 926 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 31, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,295.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E185 - 8 (piston); 234 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCOS Colorado Springs CO at 3:10 pm
- Destination: KTEX Telluride CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9/27, 7,111 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point -6°F (-21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 11:10 am from KTEX, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KTEX 271735Z AUTO 27005KT 10SM CLR M08/M21 A3016 RMK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 29, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.