Beech 56 accident near Hudson, Colorado, November 22, 2015
On November 22, 2015 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1969 Beech 56, registered N12WB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Hudson, Colorado (Platte Valley Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing. Contributing to the accident was the distraction of the open cabin door.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2015 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hudson, Colorado · Platte Valley Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 56 TC, built 1969 · all 56s on the register
- Registration
- N12WB · registry record · serial TG-82
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that prior to the takeoff roll, his son, who was positioned in the front right seat, had difficulty shutting and locking the cabin door. The pilot reported that he reached over and ensured the door was locked. The pilot reported that shortly after liftoff the cabin door came open. He maneuvered the airplane to stay in the traffic pattern and return to land. He reported that while on final he did not have any rudder authority and was unable to keep directional control. The pilot reported that prior to the initial impact he lost sight of the runway when the airplane pitched up and rolled left simultaneously. Subsequently the left wing impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage.
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
What happened, in order
- Aircraft servicing event during prior to flight
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › Passenger/crew doors › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Doors › Passenger/crew doors › Incorrect service/maintenance
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 250.5 hours in all; 44.5 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 171.5 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 2, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,177.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 19, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 5,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-541-E1B4 (piston); 1,039 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-541-E1B4 (piston); 1,039 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 18V Hudson CO at 11:00 pm
- Destination: DSM Des Moines IA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 15, 4,100 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KDEN, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N12WB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 GAA16CA060.