Beechcraft V35B accident near Barnum, Wyoming, October 4, 2005
On October 4, 2005 at about 4:22 pm local time, a Beechcraft V35B, registered N9085Q, was destroyed in an accident near Barnum, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper in-flight planning and decision to continue flight into forecasted icing conditions and the pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control due to wing contamination in the form of ice. Contributing factors included the weather conditions conducive for structural icing and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 2005 · about 4:22 pm local time
- Place
- Barnum, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beechcraft V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9085Q · registry record · serial D-9212
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The briefer advised the pilot of an AIRMET (significant weather phenomena) for icing occasionally moderate rime or mixed from freezing level up through flight level two zero zero. According to the Air Route Traffic Control Center transcripts, the pilot contacted the controller at 1011 and reported that he was at 10,700 feet msl, was "attempting to climb," had "a little bit of ice" and was "having trouble climbing." At 1015, the pilot stated that he may need to "make a landing." The pilot stated that he had ice and was in "IMC" (instrument meteorological conditions.) At 1022:17, the pilot declared an emergency and radar and radio communications were lost. The airplane was destroyed by a post impact fire. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. The accident aircraft was not equipped with anti-icing or de-icing equipment. The pilot operating handbook states "Flight in icing conditions is prohibited." According to Title 14 CFR Part 91.527 (b) " Except for an airplane that has ice protection provisions... no pilot may fly - (1) Under IFR into known or forecast moderate icing conditions."
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: 1,440 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,845 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 3,412 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-520-BB31 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 6S1 Bridger MT at 2:40 pm
- Destination: LBF North Platte NE
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 4:10 pm from WRL, 43 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9085Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DEN06FA001.