Beech 35 accident near Nucla, Colorado, January 18, 1992
On January 18, 1992 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Beech 35, registered N3342V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nucla, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER STATIC BALANCE OF THE RUDDERVATORS FOLLOWING REBUILDING/REPAINTING, WHICH RESULTED IN EMPENNAGE FLUTTER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1992 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Nucla, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 35 · all 35s on the register
- Registration
- N3342V · registry record · serial D-805
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLUTTER OF THE EMPENNAGE OCCURRED DURING A CRUISE-DESCENT IN SMOOTH AIR. THIS RESULTED IN CRACKS IN ALL 4 CORNERS OF THE AFT FUSELAGE BULKHEAD AND WRINKLING OF THE FUSELAGE SKIN IN THE AREA OF THE RUDDERVATOR ATTACHMENT POINTS. THE LEFT RUDDERVATOR HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE DURING AN ANNUAL INSPECTION SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, AFTER IT WAS REMOVED TO HAVE NEW SKIN INSTALLED. THE SURFACE WAS REPAINTED, AND THE PAINT THICKNESS EXCEEDED THE MANUFACTURER'S FACTORY ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA. POST-ACCIDENT TESTING DISCLOSED THE STATIC BALANCE OF BOTH RUDDERVATORS TO BE EXCESSIVELY TAIL HEAVY. NO LEAD BALANCING WASHERS WERE FOUND IN EITHER RUDDERVATOR COUNTERWEIGHT HOUSING.
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: 550 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,081 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1992; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-205-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6V6 Nucla CO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.