Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents
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2310 Total Accidents
425 Fatal
816 Fatalities
1982-2026
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1 Fatal
Briggsdale, Colorado
NTSB Narrative
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On June 6, 2002, at 1845 mountain daylight time, a Beech M35, N9775R, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when the aircraft impacted terrain near Briggsdale, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board was fatally injured. Day visual metrological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 91. The local flight originated in Greeley, Colorado, at 1821.
According to the Weld County Sheriff's report, the pilot's wife notified the Greeley Police Department on June 7 to report her husband missing. FAA was subsequently notified and the Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) issued an ALNOT (alert notification) at 1338. The ALNOT indicated "possible destination Pawnee Buttes." The Civil Air Patrol launched an aerial search and the wreckage was located that afternoon. The ALNOT was cancelled at 1818.
The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at a location of 40 degrees, 43.96' North latitude, and 104 degrees, 12.38' West longitude.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The 46-year-old private pilot held an expired third class airman medical certificate, dated March 31, 2000.
The pilot's logbook was recovered from the wreckage and contained entries from March 7, 1977, when he first began taking flying lessons in Mountain Home, Arkansas, to January 24, 2002. The following summarizes his aeronautical experience (figure totals do not equate due to arithmetical errors):
By category:
Total time - 335.7
Night - 19.1
Actual instruments - 0.2
Simulated instruments - 80.3
Cross-country - 88.5
Dual instruction - 138.4
Pilot-in-Command - 227.4
By aircraft type:
Cessna 150 -- 12.2
Cessna 152 -- 6.3
Cessna 172 -- 220.7
Cessna 180 -- 1.0
Cessna 182 -- 19.3
Piper PA-28-181-- 4.5
Beech M35 -- 84.7
By year:
1977 -- 13.2
1986 -- 2.2
1987 -- 4.1
1998 -- 76.6
1999 -- 38.6
2000 -- 137.9
2001 -- 69.1
2002 -- 1.0
The pilot's wife said her husband purchased N9775R approximately 2 years prior to the accident. According to his logbook, the first M35 Bonanza entry was made on October 21, 2000. All flights made thereafter were in the M35 with the exception of his instrument flight instruction, which were made in Cessna 172s. His most recent flight review was accomplished in a Cessna 172 on July 26, 2001.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The airplane, N9775R (s/n D-6297), a model M35, was manufactured by the Beech (now Raytheon) Aircraft Corporation in 1960. It was equipped with a Continental IO-470-C1B engine (s/n 072168-H), rated at 250 horsepower, and a Beech 2-blade, all-metal, constant speed propeller (m/n 278-100-7). It was equipped with two 25-gallon main fuel tanks and two 10-gallon auxiliary fuel tanks.
N9775R's maintenance records were located at a Greeley-Weld County Airport maintenance facility and examined. According to these records, the most recent annual inspection of the airframe, engine, and propeller was
On June 6, 2002, at 1845 mountain daylight time, a Beech M35, N9775R, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when the aircraft impacted terrain near Briggsdale, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board was fatally injured. Day visual metrological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 91. The local flight originated in Greeley, Colorado, at 1821.
According to the Weld County Sheriff's report, the pilot's wife notified the Greeley Police Department on June 7 to report her husband missing. FAA was subsequently notified and the Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) issued an ALNOT (alert notification) at 1338. The ALNOT indicated "possible destination Pawnee Buttes." The Civil Air Patrol launched an aerial search and the wreckage was located that afternoon. The ALNOT was cancelled at 1818.
The accident occurred during the hours of daylight at a location of 40 degrees, 43.96' North latitude, and 104 degrees, 12.38' West longitude.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The 46-year-old private pilot held an expired third class airman medical certificate, dated March 31, 2000.
The pilot's logbook was recovered from the wreckage and contained entries from March 7, 1977, when he first began taking flying lessons in Mountain Home, Arkansas, to January 24, 2002. The following summarizes his aeronautical experience (figure totals do not equate due to arithmetical errors):
By category:
Total time - 335.7
Night - 19.1
Actual instruments - 0.2
Simulated instruments - 80.3
Cross-country - 88.5
Dual instruction - 138.4
Pilot-in-Command - 227.4
By aircraft type:
Cessna 150 -- 12.2
Cessna 152 -- 6.3
Cessna 172 -- 220.7
Cessna 180 -- 1.0
Cessna 182 -- 19.3
Piper PA-28-181-- 4.5
Beech M35 -- 84.7
By year:
1977 -- 13.2
1986 -- 2.2
1987 -- 4.1
1998 -- 76.6
1999 -- 38.6
2000 -- 137.9
2001 -- 69.1
2002 -- 1.0
The pilot's wife said her husband purchased N9775R approximately 2 years prior to the accident. According to his logbook, the first M35 Bonanza entry was made on October 21, 2000. All flights made thereafter were in the M35 with the exception of his instrument flight instruction, which were made in Cessna 172s. His most recent flight review was accomplished in a Cessna 172 on July 26, 2001.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The airplane, N9775R (s/n D-6297), a model M35, was manufactured by the Beech (now Raytheon) Aircraft Corporation in 1960. It was equipped with a Continental IO-470-C1B engine (s/n 072168-H), rated at 250 horsepower, and a Beech 2-blade, all-metal, constant speed propeller (m/n 278-100-7). It was equipped with two 25-gallon main fuel tanks and two 10-gallon auxiliary fuel tanks.
N9775R's maintenance records were located at a Greeley-Weld County Airport maintenance facility and examined. According to these records, the most recent annual inspection of the airframe, engine, and propeller was
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Details
| NTSB Report | DEN02FA050 |
| Aircraft | Beech M35 |
| Registration | N9775R |
| Damage | DEST |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Location | 40.7211, -104.2106 |
