N463TBeech P35 · 1963

On September 5, 2025, about 0623 mountain daylight time, a Beech P35 airplane, N463T, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Englewood, Colorado. The pilot receiving instruction and flight instructor were both fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

The pilot receiving instruction was receiving familiarization training as he planned to purchase a similar airplane. ADS-B data for the accident flight showed the airplane departed from runway 35R at the Centennial Airport (KAPA), Englewood, Colorado, about 0543, remained in the traffic pattern. and performed several landings.

Archived tower audio recordings captured that after performing a stop and go landing to runway 17L, one of the pilots said they were “on the roll”. This was the last recorded radio transmission from the airplane. When the tower controller cleared them “the option” no response was recorded. The tower controller later requested the pilots “ident” if they heard the transmission and the tower controller replied, “ident observed.” No distress calls were recorded from either pilot.

ADS-B data showed at 0622:15, the airplane stopped a climb and began to descend. At 0622:43, data recorded the airplane’s ident. The descent continued until the last recorded point of 0623:05 when the airplane was about 5,900 ft mean sea level, and 77 knots groundspeed.

A firefighter located about 1.5 miles south of the accident site heard the airplane fly overhead and heard the engine stop completely. A woman who lives in a neighborhood south of the airport was walking when she saw the airplane flying on a different flight path and lower than she was used to normally seeing. She heard the engine go silent and looked up to observe the airplane in a “hard” left bank towards the airport and in a descent. The airplane appeared normal, and she thought the airplane was conducting training.

Cameras from businesses around the accident site captured low-resolution video which showed the airplane descending in a left bank. Just before ground impact, the airplane banked right.

Figure 1 ADS-B Data Plots with Accident Site (triangle)

The airplane impacted a paved driveway of an industrial facility. Initial impact points were scrapes on the asphalt aligned on a 280° heading towards the accident site. The main wreckage consisted of a majority of the airplane. Portions of the right wing were scattered to the south of the debris path. The left wing was fractured near the wing root and was found folded aft. The remainder of the airplane remained in its expected orientation. Signatures were consistent with the airplane colliding with several concrete pole barriers in front of a generator unit before coming to rest on a 060°heading.

Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit to the aileron bellcranks and ruddervators. The dual control wheel chain was observed with the aileron yoke chain around its sprocket. The landing gear and flaps were both found retracted. The propeller remained attached to the engine which was displaced aft into the cockpit area.

The airplane was retained for further examination.