Beech C24R accident near Palisade, Colorado, August 21, 1982
On August 21, 1982 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Beech C24R, registered N18906, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palisade, Colorado. 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
- August 21, 1982 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Palisade, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N18906 · registry record · serial MC522
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THE ARAPAHOE AIRPORT WITH THE FUEL TANKS HALF FULL BECAUSE OF PASSENGER LOAD FACTOR. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED WITHIN 45 MILES OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE PILOT SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK TO THE LEFT FUEL TANK. A FEW MINUTES LATER, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO QUIT AND HE SWITCHED BACK TO THE RIGHT TANK. AT THIS TIME, HE NOTICED THE FUEL CAP TO THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS MISSING. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL A SHORT TIME LATER AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON INTERSTATE 70. DURING THE LANDING THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED A GUARD RAIL WHEN THE PILOT SWERVED TO AVOID ONCOMING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 521 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 361 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 165 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,758 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-36A-1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AI Apa CO
- Destination: AI Gjt CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.