Beech B-60 accident near Casper, Wyoming, September 8, 2004
On September 8, 2004 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Beech B-60, registered N1551L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Casper, Wyoming (Natrona County Intnl Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the missing nose gear assembly bolt, spacer and nut resulting in a gear collapse due to improper maintenance procedures. Contributing to the accident was the collision with the storm drain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 2004 · about 8:15 pm local time · cases in 2004
- Place
- Casper, Wyoming · Natrona County Intnl Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-60 · all B-60s on the register
- Registration
- N1551L · registry record · serial B391
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was taxiing to the ramp, when the airplane's nose gear struck a storm drain, causing it to collapse and substantially damaging the wheel well. A postaccident examination of the airplane by the FAA revealed that the nose gear bolt, spacer and nut were missing. No other anomalies were noted. According to the pilot, the bolt had been replaced on September 1, 2004. In an FAA interview with the mechanic, it was discovered that the Beech maintenance procedures had not been followed while servicing the nose gear.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,025 hours in all; 430 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,025 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 15, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,860 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2003; 129 hours since
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-541-E1A4 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-541-E1A4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIW Riverton WY at 5:30 pm
- Destination: CPR Casper WY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 250° at 17 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from CPR, 1 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1551L on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft B-60 186 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-E1A4 273 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-E1A4 273 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Casper/Natrona County International · nearest airport
- Central Wyoming Regional · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Wyoming 778 since 1982 · 108 in the last ten years
- Wyoming 3,231 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN04LA140.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.