Beech V35B accident near Elizabeth, Colorado, August 6, 1999
On August 6, 1999 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Beech V35B, registered N3059W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elizabeth, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A forced landing on unsuitable terrain following a total loss of power for non mechanical reasons. Factors were the pilot's failure to follow emergency procedures for restarting the engine, operating the aircraft with known deficiencies, and inaccurate planning and decision making.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1999 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Elizabeth, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3059W · no longer on the register · serial D-9552
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approximately 20 miles from the destination airport, while nearing completion of an IFR cross-country flight, the pilot had descended from his cruising altitude of 10,000 feet to 8,000 feet as assigned by approach control. Shortly after stabilizing at the lower altitude, the engine lost all power. After unsuccessfully attempting to restart the engine, the pilot made an emergency landing on broken prairie terrain 10 miles from the airport. The aircraft struck a dirt bank during the landing. No evidence was found of malfunction or preimpact damage to the engine.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,036 hours in all; 845 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 1,944 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,362 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 16, 1999; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO520-BB10B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUL Tulsa OK at 2:15 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from APA, 10 miles away
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.