Beech 58 accident near Marquez, New Mexico, December 27, 1983
On December 27, 1983 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N9121S, was destroyed in an accident near Marquez, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 1983 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Marquez, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N9121S · no longer on the register · serial TH-783
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS FLOWN AT ALTITUDES UP TO 15000 FT IN AREAS OF FORECAST ICING. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH OXYGEN. THE ACFT WAS FLOWN ABOVE 14000 FT FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AFTER WHICH IT DESCENDED INTO ICING CONDITIONS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT MADE A CLIMB UNDER ATC DIRECTIONS AND THEN RADAR SHOWED IT MAKING A RAPID DESCENT. THE PLT HAD TOLD THE CONTROLLER THAT THE ACFT HAD PICKED UP ABOUT 1/2 INCH OF RIME ICE. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST SHORTLY AFTER A READOUT AT 10400 FT. FURTHER ATTEMPTS AT COMMUNICATIONS FAILED. LATER, THE ACFT WAS FOUND WHERE IT HAD CRASHED IN A STEEP, VERTICALLY BANKED DIVE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. RIME ICE WAS FOUND IN THE SNOW NEXT TO THE ELEVATOR COUNTERWEIGHT. THE ELEVATOR TRIM WAS FOUND TRIMMED TO A NOSE-UP POSITION. THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH DEICING/ANTI-ICING EQUIPMENT & AN AUTOPILOT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,313 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,263 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Charles F. Mccool,Frey Ass.Inc
The flight
- Departed from: PUB Pueblo, CO
- Destination: PRC Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:49 pm from ABQ, 41 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.