Beech V35 accident near Wendover, Utah, February 19, 2001
On February 19, 2001 at about 3:18 am local time, a Beech V35, registered N5757K, was destroyed in an accident near Wendover, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot flying at an altitude insufficient to clear surrounding terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot becoming lost/disoriented, his subsequent spatial disorientation, and dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 2001 · about 3:18 am local time
- Place
- Wendover, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N5757K · registry record · serial D-8090
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness, who watched the non-instrument rated private pilot make the night takeoff, said there was a light rain falling and the skies were overcast. Radar data disclosed a primary target just east of Wendover on a southwesterly track. It made a turn and flew north, passing Wendover. It flew towards the northeast, then turned northwest and held this course, then made a 270 degree turn to the left, followed by another left turn of at least 270 degrees. It then continued on an easterly course until radar contact was lost. No mode C (altitude reporting) returns were recorded. The accident site was in mountainous terrain at the 6,944-foot level near the point where radar contact was lost. Examination of the wreckage indicated the airplane impacted terrain in a steep nose down attitude.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENV Wendover UT at 1:53 am
- Destination: 05U Eureka NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 am from ENV, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.