Beech S35 accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado, June 11, 2005
On June 11, 2005 at about 1:35 pm local time, a Beech S35, registered N2FY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado (Colorado Springs Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight instructor and pilot's improper decision to continue the attempted high altitude takeoff when Vy airspeed was not obtained, and failure to abort the takeoff which resulted in an off-field landing and subsequent impact with terrain. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision during the attempted high altitude takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 2005 · about 1:35 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spring, Colorado · Colorado Springs Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N2FY · no longer on the register · serial D-7329
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted terrain following the flight instructor and pilot's improper decision to continue the attempted high altitude takeoff when the best rate-of-climb airspeed (Vy) was not obtained, and failure to abort the takeoff. The instructor and private pilot receiving mountain flying instruction stated that, prior to takeoff, the run-up revealed no anomalies, the mixture setting was double checked, and the proper high altitude takeoff procedures were reviewed. The pilot said that he rotated at an airspeed of 70 knots after a ground roll of approximately 2500-3000 feet, which was consistent with their earlier performance calculations. The instructor said she was "looking outside to count runway stripes and to observe take-off profile" during the takeoff roll. The pilot reported holding the aircraft in ground effect to accelerate to the target speed of 96 knots. However, the airplane settled back to the runway, and lifted off again, at an airspeed of 80 knots. The airplane reached the end of the 11,021 foot runway at an altitude of approximately 150-200 feet, and an airspeed of 70-80 knots. As the airspeed began to decay, the pilot lowered the nose to avoid a stall. The pilot initiated an off-field landing with the aircraft touching down in a wings level attitude. Examination of the airframe and engine following the accident revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The takeoff performance chart for the airplane indicated that under the atmospheric conditions present at the time of the accident a ground roll of approximately 1,300 feet was required with no obstacle, and a distance of approximately 2,000 feet was required to takeoff and climb over a 50 foot obstacle . The calculated accelerate-stop distance, which was the distance required to takeoff and climb over a 50-foot obstacle and the distance required to land over a 50-foot obstacle, was approximately 3,500 feet. The calculated rate of climb was approximately 1,050 feet. The pilot stated in the accident prevention section of the NTSB accident report that he could have aborted the takeoff; however, the aborted takeoff may have incurred damage to 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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,592 hours in all; 289 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,338 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,500 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 2004; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B/BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Spring CO at 1:35 pm
- Destination: OV2 Salida CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 35L, 11,021 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from COS, 75 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.