Beech 19A accident near Erie, Colorado, June 13, 1987
On June 13, 1987 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech 19A, registered N7650R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erie, Colorado (Tri-County airport). It was an instructional 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
- June 13, 1987 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · Tri-County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 19A · all 19As on the register
- Registration
- N7650R · no longer on the register · serial MB441
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WAS INSTRUCTING THE STUDENT PLT, WHO WAS THE NEW OWNER OF THE ACFT. THE CFI RPRTD THE ACFT WAS 'VERY CLOSE TO GROSS WEIGHT DUE TO HAVING SO MUCH FUEL ABOARD AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS HIGH.' HE ESTD THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 7600 FT. DRG TAKEOFF, THE ACFT CLIMBED OUT OF GROUND EFFECT, THEN 'BEGAN TO SINK.' THE STUDENT PLT PULLED THE NOSE UP TO STOP THE SINK RATE & THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL DRG THE 'SINK', & AFTER FLYING SOME DISTANCE OVER RISING TERRAIN AT ABOUT 20 FT AGL, HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A PLOWED FLD. DRG TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN GEAR DUG INTO SOFT TERRAIN & COLLAPSED. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT FAILURE OR DEFICIENCY. THE CFI HAD ONLY ONE PREVIOUS FLT IN THIS MAKE & MODEL OF ACFT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,706 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 255 in the last 90 days; 1,560 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,877 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 12, 1987; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48V Erie CO at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,400 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.