Beech V35A accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado, May 22, 1982
On May 22, 1982 at about 1:32 pm local time, a Beech V35A, registered N6242V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado (City Of Colorado Spring airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- May 22, 1982 · about 1:32 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spring, Colorado · City Of Colorado Spring
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35A · all V35As on the register
- Registration
- N6242V · no longer on the register · serial D8622
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED, THE ENGINE RUN-UP WAS NORMAL AND THE MIXTURE WAS LEANED AT 1700 RPM TO OBTAIN INITIAL EGT MOVEMENT OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE GUAGE. HE REPORTED TAKING OFF UPHILL ON RUNWAY 03. HE NOTED THAT THE ACCELERATION WAS SLOW, BUT ATTRIBUTED IT TO THE UPSLOPING RUNWAY AND NEAR MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. ROTATION WAS AT 70 TO 75 KTS AFTER USING ABOUT 70% OF THE RUNWAY. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE PLANE REMAINED IN GROUND EFFECT AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE PILOT RAISED THE GEAR AND TURNED TO AVOID A POWERLINE, BUT IMPACTED RISING TERRAIN AND SKIDDED TO A STOP. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 6860 FT. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR'S MANUAL, A NORMAL RUNWAY ROLL SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 1500 TO 1600 FT (70% OF THE RUNWAY LENGTH WAS 5862 FT.) A CHIEF MECHANIC AND A FAA INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FOUND IN A POSITION THAT WAS TOO LEAN FOR TAKEOFF.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 317 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 279 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,715 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Spring CO at 7:30 am
- Destination: Amarillo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 8,324 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 117°F (47°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.