19990816040569A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · Aspen, CO · August 16, 1999

Date: August 16, 1999 · 09:00 local
Place: Aspen, CO
Airport: Aspen-Pitkin Co - Sardy Field
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N991RC
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN99LA146
Reported as: Piper PA32260

N991RCRegistration cancelled Jun 19, 2017 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32-7400030 · Built 1974 Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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.

(-23) Pilot departed ase airport for sgr in sugarland, TX. Pilot attempted a forced landing on independence pass after experiencing very poor climb performance. Pilot stated that he realized that he was not going to climb over the pass so he elected to land straight ahead rather than attempt a turn and risk a stall. Pilot stated to NTSB that "the airplane really got mushy". Density altitude at accident site was calculated to be 12,766 feet. Pilot and two passengers experienced very minor injuries. Left wing and the a/c engine separated from fuselage during accident. A/c received substantial damage due to forced landing resulting from density altitude induced poor performance.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) PILOT DEPARTED ASE AIRPORT FOR SGR IN SUGARLAND, TX. PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ON INDEPENDENCE PASS AFTER EXPERIENCING VERY POOR CLIMB PERFORMANCE. PILOT STATED THAT HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS NOT GOING TO CLIMB OVER THE PASS SO HE ELECTED TO LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD RATHER THAN ATTEMPT A TURN AND RISK A STALL. PILOT STATED TO NTSB THAT "THE AIRPLANE REALLY GOT MUSHY". DENSITY ALTITUDE AT ACCIDENT SITE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 12,766 FEET. PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS EXPERIENCED VERY MINOR INJURIES. LEFT WING AND THE A/C ENGINE SEPARATED FROM FUSELAGE DURING ACCIDENT. A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DUE TO FORCED LANDING RESULTING FROM DENSITY ALTITUDE INDUCED POOR PERFORMANCE.

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 DEN99LA146Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAspen, COThe pilot's inadequate in flight planning. Factors were the high density altitude, the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing, and the sign post that the right wing impacted.Aug 16, 1999 · Destroyed