Beech 35 accident near Grand Junction, Colorado, August 30, 1982
On August 30, 1982 at about 11:07 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N3899N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Junction, Colorado (Walker Field). It was a personal 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 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 30, 1982 · about 11:07 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Junction, Colorado · Walker Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N3899N · no longer on the register · serial D1145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT BEFORE LANDING, HE LOWERED THE GEAR AND CHECKED THE INDICATORS WHICH SHOWED THAT THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED ON THE RIGHT WING. DESPITE THE PILOT'S USE OF LEFT AILERON, LEFT RUDDER AND LEFT BRAKE, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR RETRACT ROD, PN 35-815125-4, HAD FAILED IN THE AREA OF A PREVIOUS WELD. THIS PREVENTED THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR FROM PROPERLY LOCKING IN THE DOWN POSITION.
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: 336 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 267 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,991 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 1:25 pm
- Destination: Le Suer MN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 10,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 198°F (92°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.