Beech S35 accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado, June 14, 2003
On June 14, 2003 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech S35, registered N5751K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado. 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision in which he mismanaged his fuel supply by failing to switch tanks resulting in fuel starvation and the loss of engine power. A contributing factor was the pilot's diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2003 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spring, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N5751K · registry record · serial D-7539
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While being vectored to avoid weather, the pilot lost track of his fuel situation and failed to switch tanks. While on approach the engine stopped. The pilot elected to touch down with the landing gear up and the flaps retracted. During the forced landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, when a salvage company retrieved the airplane from the field, approximately 2.5 hours of fuel was found in the airplane.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,260 hours in all; 61 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 1,098 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 22, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,508.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 2002; 87.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLD Fond Du Lac WI at 2:30 pm
- Destination: COS Colorado Spring CO
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 8:21 pm from COS, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN03LA107.