19990313002189A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172 · Greeley, CO · March 13, 1999

Date: March 13, 1999
Place: Greeley, CO
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N6085A
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN99FA051
Reported as: Cessna 172
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2

N6085ARegistration cancelled Mar 8, 2000 · Cessna 172S/N 28685 Airframe modelCessna 172

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.

Acft crashed under unknown circumstances, the 2 POB suffered fatal injuries. The acft was destroyed. (-23) a/c collided with terrain during descent. The pilot and passenger were killed. There were no witnesses to the accident. At the beginning of the ground scar were three farrows, similar to that of the airplane's landing gear, followed by a shallow crater and a perpendicaular slash mark. The ground scar continued in an easterly direction for approx. 270 feet, where it terminated at the main body wreckage. The engine had separated from the airframe. The carburetor had separated from the engine. All major components of the airframe were accounted for. Examination of the propeller, which remained attached to the engine, disclosed 45 degree chordwise scratches on the cambered surfaces of the blades. The control shaft was retarded 1-1/2 inches and bent over 45 degrees. The manually controlled flaps were retracted. Flight control continuity was established.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE 2 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED. (-23) A/C COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING DESCENT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE KILLED. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GROUND SCAR WERE THREE FARROWS, SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE AIRPLANE'S LANDING GEAR, FOLLOWED BY A SHALLOW CRATER AND A PERPENDICAULAR SLASH MARK. THE GROUND SCAR CONTINUED IN AN EASTERLY DIRECTION FOR APPROX. 270 FEET, WHERE IT TERMINATED AT THE MAIN BODY WRECKAGE. THE ENGINE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE CARBURETOR HAD SEPARATED FROM THE ENGINE. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE AIRFRAME WERE ACCOUNTED FOR. EXAMINATION OF THE PROPELLER, WHICH REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE ENGINE, DISCLOSED 45 DEGREE CHORDWISE SCRATCHES ON THE CAMBERED SURFACES OF THE BLADES. THE CONTROL SHAFT WAS RETARDED 1-1/2 INCHES AND BENT OVER 45 DEGREES. THE MANUALLY CONTROLLED FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED.

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 DEN99FA051Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportGill, COThe pilot's intentional maneuvering at an unwarranted low altitude resulting in a collision with the ground. Factors were the pilot's ostentatious behavioral display and reduced lighting (dusk) conditions.Mar 14, 1999 · Destroyed

Other reports on N6085A · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19810511023759ATakeoff Ground Roll · Novato, CAPilot attempted to take off from runway under construction. Airport was closed.May 11, 1981 · Substantial damage