Beech V35B accident near Broomfield, Colorado, January 18, 1989
On January 18, 1989 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N1721W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado (Jeffco airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FUEL STARVATION DUE TO IMPROPER FUEL TANK SELECTIOR OPERATION BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: UNPREPARED (ROUGH/UNEVEN) TERRAIN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1989 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Jeffco · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1721W · no longer on the register · serial D9401
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI RATED PLT WAS PERFORMING A SALES-DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT WITH TWO PAX. THE LEFT SEAT PAX WAS FLYING. THE CONTROL TOWER HAD CLEARED THE FLIGHT TO LAND ON RWY 29R, A 7,498 X 100 FT ASPHALT RWY, WITH WINDS REPORTED AS 190 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. THE CFI SAID THAT JUST PRIOR TO TURNING BASE, THE ENGINE STOPPED. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS AND ATTEMPTED A RESTART, TO NO AVAIL. THE CFI FIRST RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR, TO CLEAR OBSTACLES, THEN EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR TO ABSORB LANDING IMPACT. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN 600 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING ROLL OUT AND THE ACFT CAME TO REST 400 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF RWY 29R. POST ACDNT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE RGT FUEL TANK AND THE RGT TANK WAS EMPTY. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINES OR FUEL PUMP. BOTH PAX SAID THE FUEL PRESS DROPPED TO ZERO WHEN THE ENG QUIT.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,241 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2,081 as pilot in command; 1,326 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,670 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC at 6:00 pm
- Destination: BJC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29R, 7,498 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.