Beech F33A accident near Durango, Colorado, December 28, 2002
On December 28, 2002 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Beech F33A, registered N1592W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado (Durango/La Plata County Arpt. 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 extend the landing gear. A contributing factor is the pilot's failure to follow the checklist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 28, 2002 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · Durango/La Plata County Arpt. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F33A · all F33As on the register
- Registration
- N1592W · registry record · serial CE-838
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said made a crosswind approach for the runway. He said he entered a gradual climb to slow his airplane down enough to lower the landing gear, and then hit the gear switch thinking he had engaged it. The pilot turned on downwind until the other traffic was clear, and then subsequently turned on to base and final. The pilot said he did not realize there was a problem until he struck the runway. The airplane landed with the gear fully retracted damaging the bottom fuselage, flaps, and propeller. An examination of the airplane revealed no systems anomalies.
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
- Flight time: 1,871 hours in all; 1,161 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,765 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 8, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 2002; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BGD Borger TX at 7:20 pm
- Destination: DRO Durango CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 9,201 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DRO, 1 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.