Beech V35B accident near Rock Springs, Wyoming, January 30, 2003
On January 30, 2003 at about 4:56 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N935V, was destroyed in an accident near Rock Springs, Wyoming (Rock Springs-Sweetwater County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed, resulting in a stall. Factors contributing to the accident were the icing conditions, low altitude, and the high gusting winds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2003 · about 4:56 pm local time
- Place
- Rock Springs, Wyoming · Rock Springs-Sweetwater County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N935V · no longer on the register · serial D9677
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had encountered moderate rime icing at 13,000 feet msl. After considering the extent of the weather, the pilot elected to land at an intermediate airport. ARTCC cleared the pilot for an ILS approach for landing. The pilot reported breaking out of the weather and having trouble identifying the airport. The air traffic control center controller advised the pilot that the airport was at 11 o'clock at 12 miles. The pilot said he had "let his altitude slip," that he was coming around a big peak, and that he was "going to go around that." Less than a minute later, radio and radar contact with the airplane was lost. At the last known position, the airplane was 14.49 nautical miles on a bearing of 097 degrees from the airport, at an altitude of 8,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The air traffic control center issued an Alert Notification and search and rescue was initiated. The airplane was located 7 hours later. The airplane had impacted the terrain in a 40-degree nose-low attitude and was destroyed in a subsequent post crash explosion and fire. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. At the time of accident, the routine aviation weather report at the airport was 3,900 feet overcast skies, 10 miles visibility, temperature 41 degrees Fahrenheit (F), dew point 25 degrees F, winds 250 degrees at 22 knots, gusts to 26 knots, and altimeter 30.09 inches of Mercury.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 475 hours in all
- Last flight review: November 11, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,380.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CPR Casper WY at 3:29 pm
- Destination: MYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 22 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from RKS, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.