Gulfstream AEROCOMMANDER 695 accident near Cortez, Colorado, December 13, 1984
On December 13, 1984 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Gulfstream AEROCOMMANDER 695, registered N980DW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cortez, Colorado (Cortez airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. 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
- December 13, 1984 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Cortez, Colorado · Cortez · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream AEROCOMMANDER 695 AEROCOMMAN
- Registration
- N980DW · registry record · serial 95074
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT ACFT WAS THE FIRST TO USE THE RWY SINCE IT WAS SCRAPED BY THE SNOW PLOW EARLIER IN THE DAY. A COMMERCIAL PLT THAT OPERATES AT THE ARPT SAID ABOUT 2-3 INCHES OF SNOW HAD ACCUMULATED ON THE RWY SINCE IT WAS CLEARED. THE PLT OF THE ACCIDENT ACFT SAID HE BACK-TAXIED ON THE RWY FOR TAKEOFF. HE BELIEVES ONE OF THE TIRES GOT IN A TAXI-MADE RUT AND THE OTHER WAS IN THE SLUSH FOR TAKEOFF. AT ABOUT 80 KTS IAS DURING TAKEOFF ROLL THE ACFT SUDDENLY VEERED TO THE RIGHT ACCORDING TO THE PLT. THE POWER WAS NORMAL SO SLUSH DRAG WAS ASSUMED TO BE THE CAUSE. THE PLT SAID THAT BEFORE CORRECTIVE ACTION COULD TAKE EFFECT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A SNOW BANK. A COMMERCIAL ACFT OPERATOR AT THE ARPT SAID THATHE DROVE ALONG THE TRACKS MADE BY THE ACFT IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE ACCIDENT. HE SAID IT APPEARED TO HIM THAT THE SNOW TRACKS DEPARTED THE CENTER OF THE RWY FOR QUITE A WAYS BEFORE HITTING THE SNOWBANK.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,800 hours in all; 276 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,093 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 14, 1984; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,325 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Airesearch TPE33110501X (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CEZ Cortez CO at 5:05 pm
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 7,205 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from CEZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.