Beech B-24-R accident near Cheyenne Wells, Colorado, July 18, 1990
On July 18, 1990 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech B-24-R, registered N2537W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cheyenne Wells, Colorado (Cheyenne Wells Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE EXISTING CROSS WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1990 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cheyenne Wells, Colorado · Cheyenne Wells Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-24-R · all B-24-Rs on the register
- Registration
- N2537W · no longer on the register · serial 17C-216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE PILOT'S DOOR OPENED AT 9,500 FEET, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECUATIONARY LANDING IN ORDER TO CLOSE THE DOOR. JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN, THE PILOT BECAME AWARE OF THE CROSSWIND; THE AIRPLANE THEN LANDED HARD AND 'BOUNCED HIGH.' FULL POWER WAS APPLIED AND THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED RIGHT, BUT WOULD NOT CLIMB. THE PILOT THEN RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND THE AIRPLANE SETTLED TO GROUND IMPACT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 167 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 116 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aerotech Flight Services, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Sprgs CO at 7:25 pm
- Destination: 45V Cheyenne Wells CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 22, 2,875 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.