Cessna 340A accident near Two Buttes, Colorado, February 1, 1987
On February 1, 1987 at about 3:49 am local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N6320X, was destroyed in an accident near Two Buttes, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- February 1, 1987 · about 3:49 am local time
- Place
- Two Buttes, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N6320X · no longer on the register · serial 340A0491
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT AND HIS WIFE WERE EN ROUTE FROM PALM SPRINGS, CA, TO OLATHE, KS, AND HAD STOPPED FOR FUEL AT FARMINGTON, NM. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE ACFT WAS EVENTUALLY CLEARED TO FL 210. AT 1934 THE PLT GAVE DENVER ARTCC THE FOLLOWING PIREP: 'THERE'S BEEN SOME SNOW BUT I'VE BEEN MOSTLY IN AND OUT OF THE TOPS. LOOKS LIKE I GOT CLEAR SKIES ABOVE ME MOST OF THE TIME...AND IT IS MODERATELY ROUGH FROM TIME TO TIME.' AT 2045 KANSAS CITY ARTCC ADVISED THE PLT HE WAS AT FL 213. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED HE HAD DRIFTED OFF ALT AND WAS CORRECTING AND WAS HEADING 060 DEG. AT 2047 THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PLT HE WAS AT FL 203. THE PLT REPLIED, 'WE'VE HAD A GYRO FAILURE.' AT 2049 RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. THE ACFT IMPACTED AN OPEN FIELD IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AIRFRAME, ENG, PROP, OR FLT CONTROL FAILURE. ONLY ONE VACUUM PUMP WAS RECOVERED. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND AUTOPLT SYSTEM WERE DESTROYED.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 350 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,426 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 11, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 5,990 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FMN Farmington NM at 2:03 am
- Destination: OJC Olathe KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from LHK, 62 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N6320X the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.