Beech V35 accident near Moose, Wyoming, January 19, 1995
On January 19, 1995 at about 1:33 am local time, a Beech V35, registered N5603S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moose, Wyoming (Jackson Hole airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FLY THE PROPER GLIDEPATH. A FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 19, 1995 · about 1:33 am local time
- Place
- Moose, Wyoming · Jackson Hole · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35 · all V35s on the register
- Registration
- N5603S · no longer on the register · serial D-8155
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS, THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED FOR THE ILS APPROACH INTO THE JACKSON HOLE AIRPORT. RADAR DATA INDICATES THAT THE FLIGHT PASSED OVER THE INITIAL APPROACH FIX AND BEGAN TO TRACK OUTBOUND BEFORE TURNING RIGHT AND INTERCEPTING THE INBOUND COURSE. THE FLIGHT HAD PASSED OVER THE INITIAL APPROACH FIX INBOUND, WHICH IS 17.3 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT SHORTLY BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT AND JUST WEST OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE AT AN ELEVATION OF 6,700 FEET. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH LEVEL TERRAIN IN A LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE AND CARTWHEELED APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET BEFORE COMING TO REST. NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO INDICATE A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 849 hours in all; 669 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 755 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,145 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1994; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RAP Rapid City SD at 10:39 pm
- Destination: JAC Jackson WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 6,299 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:14 am from JAC, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.