Beech 58 accident near Elbert, Colorado, November 2, 1985
On November 2, 1985 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N26BW, was destroyed in an accident near Elbert, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- November 2, 1985 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Elbert, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N26BW · registry record · serial 222
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED IN A OPEN FIELD & WAS NOT FOUND FOR 4 DAYS. THE HOME BUILT ACFT, MAINTAINED LARGELY BY THE PLT, HAD THE ENGINE DESTROYED SO COMPLETELY THAT NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO POWER BEING DEVELOPED AT IMPACT. THE PLT REPORTEDLY HAD BEEN ACTING STRANGELY FOR A FEW DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. NO RADIO CALLS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE FLT AFTER THE INITIAL CLEARANCE. THE ACFT IMPACTED 70-80 DEGGEES NOSE DWN WITH THE WONGS LEVEL.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 4,913 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1985; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,825 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48V Erie CO
- Destination: L32 Oceanside CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:00 pm from DEN, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.