19970423046989A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Socata TB-20 TRINIDAD · Pagosa Spgs, CO · April 23, 1997

Date: April 23, 1997 · 13:37 local
Place: Pagosa Spgs, CO
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N20NK
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW97FA166
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

N20NKRegistration cancelled Nov 24, 1998 · Socata TB-20 TRINIDADS/N 766 Airframe modelSocata TB-20 TRINIDAD

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-16) On April 23, 1997, N20NK, was reported missing by the pilot's family when the aircraft failed to arrive at centennial airport, englewood, Colorado, on a flight from sedona, Arizona. The aircraft was found on April 28, 1997, on the side of a mountain at N37:03.45, W106:38.13. Terrain elevation was 11,500 feet MSL. The location is approximately 25 miles southeast of Pagosa springs, Colorado. The aircraft burned and the pilot received fatal injuries. A VFR flight plan was on file. The pilot reported to ATC he was picking up ice and requestred IFR and a climb. Due to conflicting traffic, a climb could not be immediately issued and the pilot elected to descend. Weather in the accicent area at the time was reported by local persons to be overcast skies with the mountains obscured by clouds. At the present time, access to the site for wreckage documentation is not feasible due to snow depth & avalanche danger.

As the FAA filed it

(-16) ON APRIL 23, 1997, N20NK, WAS REPORTED MISSING BY THE PILOT'S FAMILY WHEN THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO ARRIVE AT CENTENNIAL AIRPORT, ENGLEWOOD, COLORADO, ON A FLIGHT FROM SEDONA, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND ON APRIL 28, 1997, ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN AT N37:03.45, W106:38.13. TERRAIN ELEVATION WAS 11,500 FEET MSL. THE LOCATION IS APPROXIMATELY 25 MILES SOUTHEAST OF PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLORADO. THE AIRCRAFT BURNED AND THE PILOT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC HE WAS PICKING UP ICE AND REQUESTRED IFR AND A CLIMB. DUE TO CONFLICTING TRAFFIC, A CLIMB COULD NOT BE IMMEDIATELY ISSUED AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO DESCEND. WEATHER IN THE ACCICENT AREA AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED BY LOCAL PERSONS TO BE OVERCAST SKIES WITH THE MOUNTAINS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. AT THE PRESENT TIME, ACCESS TO THE SITE FOR WRECKAGE DOCUMENTATION IS NOT FEASIBLE DUE TO SNOW DEPTH & AVALANCHE DANGER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW97FA166Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportPagosa Springs, COinadvertent flight by the pilot into known adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain altitude or clearance from terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: low ceiling, rain, snow, icing conditions, and mountainous terrain.Apr 23, 1997 · Destroyed