Beechcraft V35B N4637M

Summary

On 26 February 2001 at about 21:29 local time, a Beechcraft V35B registered N4637M was involved in an accident near Green River, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 February 2001 at 21:29

Classification

Accident

Location

Green River, Utah, United States

Coordinates

39.1228, -109.8575

Aircraft

Beechcraft V35B

Registration

N4637M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gunnison → Fresno

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN01FA056

1 person died.

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control as a result of incapacitation (from hypoxia) due to the in-flight decision to fly at altitudes where oxygen is required, without oxygen available.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had been skiing in the Rocky Mountains (elevation 8,900 feet) for a week. He departed in his non-pressurized single-engine airplane and climbed up to 21,600 feet; he had no supplemental oxygen onboard. Approximately 1 hour 45 minutes into the flight, the airplane reached a maximum altitude of 22,100 feet before entering a rapid descent. The airplane impacted mountainous terrain in an uncontrolled spin. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no evidence of any pre-impact discrepancies. The Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) functioned properly, and the airplane was located by the Civil Air Patrol the following day.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.