Gulfstream 681 accident near Calhan, Colorado, March 29, 1985
On March 29, 1985 at about 2:30 am local time, a Gulfstream 681, registered N772CB, was destroyed in an accident near Calhan, Colorado. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- March 29, 1985 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Calhan, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream 681
- Registration
- N772CB · registry record · serial 6050
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A XCOUNTRY FLT FROM WI TO CA AND RETURN, THE NONINST, LOW EXPERIENCED PVT PLT, FLEW INTO IMC CONDITIONS. THE ACFT IMPACTED FLAT SNOW-COVERED GRD, DESTROYING THE ACFT AND FATALLY INJURING HIS PAX. EXAM OF WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-ACC MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ITS PWR PLANTS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 411 hours in all; 376 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,500 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 1, 1984; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,450 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-1151K (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Van Nuys CA at 9:20 pm
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 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.