Beech V35 accident near Erie, Colorado, December 10, 1991
On December 10, 1991 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Beech V35, registered N9449S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erie, Colorado (Tri-County airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INADVERTENT GEAR UP LANDING WHEN THE PILOT IN COMMAND AND DESIGNATED EXAMINER FAILED TO USE PROPER PROCEDURES. A FACTOR WAS: FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR EXTENSION/RETRACTION MOTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 1991 · about 10:30 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 V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N9449S · registry record · serial D-8069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE DESIGNATED EXAMINER WAS GIVING THE STUDENT PILOT HIS PRIVATE PILOT EXAMINATION FLIGHT CHECK. DURING A SOFT FIELD LANDING DEMONSTRATION BY THE STUDENT, THE GEAR WAS LOWERED AND THE GEAR HANDLE WAS VERIFIED DOWN BY BOTH PILOTS. HOWEVER, NEITHER PILOT VERIFIED THE GEAR VIA THE GEAR LIGHT. THE GEAR WARNING SOUNDED DURING FINAL APPROACH, BUT BOTH PILOTS MISIDENTIFIED IT AS A STALL WARNING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LANDED WITH THE GEAR UP AND THE GEAR DOORS PARTIALLY OPENED. THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR HAD FAILED AND THE CIRCUIT BREAKER WAS POPPED.
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: student
- Flight time: 89 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 63 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 9:00 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 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 16,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN92LA015.