19970613014169A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Stolam RC3 · Monument Valley, UT · June 13, 1997

Date: June 13, 1997 · 15:00 local
Place: Monument Valley, UT
Airport: Monument Valley Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6290K
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA97LA140
Reported as: Stolam RC3
Reported engine: Lycoming IO540*
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,396 total103 in this make and model115 in the last 90 days

N6290KRegistered now · Republic RC-3-1S/N 503 Airframe modelRepublic RC-3-1 Engine modelLycoming IO-540 seriesReciprocating

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.

Aircraft crashed on takeoff. (.4)the pilot attempted a takeoff with the wind blowing at 30 knots and gusting to 45 knots. Reportedly, the wind was blowing through large rock formations near the airport, the wind direction was constantly varying, and strong downdrafts were being created. The pilot reported that when the aircraft was about 300 feet above the ground, it felt like it had flown into a strong downdraft, and he was unable to keep it from descending into the terrain.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON TAKEOFF. (.4)THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF WITH THE WIND BLOWING AT 30 KNOTS AND GUSTING TO 45 KNOTS. REPORTEDLY, THE WIND WAS BLOWING THROUGH LARGE ROCK FORMATIONS NEAR THE AIRPORT, THE WIND DIRECTION WAS CONSTANTLY VARYING, AND STRONG DOWNDRAFTS WERE BEING CREATED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 300 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, IT FELT LIKE IT HAD FLOWN INTO A STRONG DOWNDRAFT, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP IT FROM DESCENDING INTO THE TERRAIN.

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 SEA97LA140Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportMonument Valley, UTthe pilot's inadequate preflight planing/preparation, and his failure to maintain sufficient altitude or clearance from the terrain. Factors relating to the accident included: high, gusty, variable winds, and terrain induced downdrafts.Jun 13, 1997 · Substantial damage