Beech 35 accident near Jackson, Wyoming, January 6, 1982
On January 6, 1982 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N8070Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Wyoming (Jackson Hole 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1982 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Jackson, Wyoming · Jackson Hole
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N8070Q · no longer on the register · serial D7868
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE TEMPERATURE WAS APPROXIMATELY A MINUS 15 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ENGINE WAS PREHEATED FOR 30 MINUTES AND THAT EVERYTHING WAS IN THE GREEN BEFORE TAKEOFF. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERSPEED. THE PILOT THROTTLED BACK AND TURNED BACK TOWARD THE AIRPORT; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE SEIZED. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED ABOUT 25 FT ABOVE THE RUNWAY DAMAGING THE GEAR AND THE WINGS. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A CRACKED CRANKCASE, BUT NO OTHER MECHANICAL FAILURES. THE ENGINE HAD AN ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF OIL, BUT THE VISCOSITY WAS ANALYZED AND FOUND TO BE ABOUT SAE 55. THE STANDARD WINTER PROCEDURE REQUIRED A LOWER VISCOSITY AND/OR AN ADEQUATE ENGINE WARM UP AFTER ENGINE START.
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: 176 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,511 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 125 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Jackson WY at 9:40 am
- Destination: Riverton WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 6,299 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 5°F (-15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.