Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Near Dove Creek, Colorado 81324
Sunday, December 25, 1983 9:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN ABOUT 30 MILES NORTHWEST OF CORTEZ CO. THE PLT WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AND HAD BEEN ADVISED BEFORE FLT OF HAZARDOUS ICING CONDITIONS ENROUTE. WHEN THE ACFT ICED UP THE PLT REVERSED COURSE AND EVEN THOUGH DESCENDING BELOW MEA HE MANAGED TO STAY CLEAR OF THE TERRAIN UNTIL HE TURNED SOUTHEAST TOWARD CORTEZ OVER HIGHER TERRAIN. HE WAS OUT OF DIRECT RADIO CONTACT WITH DENVER CENTER BECAUSE OF HIS ALTITUDE. DENVER WAS ABLE TO RELAY THROUGH AN AIRLINER UNTIL ALL CONTACT WAS LOST AT 0927 MST. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED AND BY ELT HELP THE ACFT WASLOCATED 3 HOURS AFTER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. THE PLTS HANDBOOK FOR THE BEECH 35 STATED: 'WARNING, FLT IN KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS PROHIBITED'. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE ACFT IMPACTED TALL PINE TREES IN A WINGS LEVEL 10-15 DEG NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. THE ACFT CAME TO FINAL REST IN A DENSELY FORESTED SNOW COVERED AREA BETWEEN 2 LARGE PINE TREES. SHOULDER HARNESSES WERE NOT INSTALLED IN THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/25/1983
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City NEAR DOVE CREEK
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81324
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID CE2
Elevation of weather observation facility 5914
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3126
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 24167
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8675M
NTSB Number DEN84FA049
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model P35
Aircraft Series Identifier P35
Aircraft Serial Number D7296
Certified Max Gross Weight 3125
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 5 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 14
Airframe Hours 2737
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BONANZA FLYERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10730 E. MERCER LANE
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTSDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85259
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GEORGE CHAMBERLIN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7651 E. EDGEMONT
Operator City SCOTTSDALE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SDL
Departure City SCOTTSDALE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GUC
Destination City GUNNISON
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --