Beech B90 accident near Creede, Colorado, June 25, 1999
On June 25, 1999 at about 7:17 pm local time, a Beech B90, registered N221NC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Creede, Colorado (Mineral County Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Overload failure of the right main landing gear scissors torque link precipitated by preexisting fatigue fractures. A factor was wind shear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1999 · about 7:17 pm local time
- Place
- Creede, Colorado · Mineral County Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B90 · all B90s on the register
- Registration
- N221NC · no longer on the register · serial LJ-393
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor said the airplane felt like it was being pushed down onto the runway. As power was added, the airplane touched down 'approximately 90 KIAS (a loss of 10 to 15 knots indicating a shear)' and there was a loud 'bang.' The airplane became airborne momentarily, then touched down again. The airplane departed the right side of the runway on its nose and left main landing gear. The owner-pilot receiving instruction said 'the bottom fell out and a moderately hard landing was made on the main gear. A pilot who witnessed the accident landed hard moments before. He said he had encountered a 'vertical wind shear.' He saw a large puff of blue gray smoke come out from beneath the right wing, followed by the tumbling right main gear. Metallurgical examination of the right scissors torque link disclosed multiple fractures and a crack in the upper link. The fractures were 'typical of fatigue cracking,' originating from 'multiple sites.' There was also corrosion pitting. Two other fracture sites were 'indicative of overstress.'
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,765 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 2,771 as pilot in command; 251 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,716 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 7, 1998; 189 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,650 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PWA Oklahoma City OK at 4:20 pm
- Destination: Q39
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 6,880 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.