# Accident 20010216001629A: Amtr G202, Grand Junction, CO, February 16, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: February 16, 2001, 15:00 local time - Place: Grand Junction, CO - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Descent - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.0798° N, 108.5495° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0798&lon=-108.5495&mi=10 - Aircraft: N39HR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N39HR-2013-09-24) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Ross Herbert E G-202 (registry code 05605IJ, https://openairdocs.org/model/ross-herbert-e-g-202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming AEIO-360 series (registry code 41522, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-aeio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR G202 - Reported engine: LYC AEIO360B1H - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 1,451 total, 63 in this make and model, 6 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN01FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01FA053) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010216001629A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-19) ON FEBRUARY 16, 2001, AT APPROX. 1500 MST, A ROSS G-202, N39HR, WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT WITH TERRAIN DURING MANUEVERING FLIGHT APPROX. 6 MILES NORTH OF WALKER FIELD, GRAND JUNCTION, CO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT, REPORTEDLY FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING AEROBATICS, OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED WALKER FIELD ABOUT 1430. THE FLIGHT WAS REPORTED OVERDUE BY THE PILOT'S FAMILY ON FEBRUARY 16, 2001, AT 2121 WHEN THE PILOT FAILED TO ARRIVE HOME. A SEARCH WAS COMMENCED AND THE A/C WAS LOCATED ON THE 17TH AT 1440. (-23)WHILE CONDUCTING A PERSONAL-PLEASURE FLIGHT UNDER FAR 91, ^PRIVACY DATA ^WAS FATALLY INJURED WHEN HIS A/C STRUCK THE GROUND IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT. NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT STRUCTURAL FAILURE WAS FOUND. CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED WITH ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. NEITHER WING FUEL TANK HAD ANY FUEL IN EVIDENCE. THE MAIN TANK, FOR AEROBATIC FLIGHT, WAS THE CENTER OR "HEADER" TANK. THE TANK WAS RUPTURED AND THE POSSIBLE QUANTITY OF CONTENTS IS NOT DETERMINABLE. THE IMPACT WAS FROM NON-AERODYNAMIC FLIGHT (FALLING, NOT FLYING) SINCE NO FORWARD MOVEMENT WAS EVIDENT. THE POINT OF IMPACT WAS PERHAPS 1-6 INCHES FROM THE RESTING POINT. THE ACCIDENT SCENE WAS IN A RAVINE, ABOUT 200 FEET DEEP, LOCATED 5.1 MILES FROM THE GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO AIRPORT (GJT-WALKER FIELD) THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION IS NEARLY THE SAME AS THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. IT IS BELIEVED THAT HIS ENGINE FAILED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS WHILE ATTEMPTING A "HAMMERHEAD" TYPE MANUEVER. (.4) ON FEBRUARY 16, 2001, APPROXIMATELY 1500 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A ROSS G-202 SINGLE-ENGINE EXPERIMENTAL HOMEBUILT AIRPLANE, N39HR, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT NEAR GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO. THE PRIVATE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND A FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT DEPARTED WALKER FIELD AIRPORT, GRAND JUNCTION, APPROXIMATELY 1430. THE PILOT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT FOR A PRACTICE AEROBATIC FLIGHT. WHEN THE PILOT FAILED TO ARRIVE HOME, THE FLIGHT WAS REPORTED OVERDUE BY THE PILOT'S FAMILY. A SEARCH COMMENCED, AND THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED ON FEBRUARY 17, 2001, AT 1440. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND NEAR THE EDGE OF A RAVINE IN A HILLY OPEN AREA ABOUT 6 MILES NORTH OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB DEN01FA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN01FA053), Feb 16, 2001: Ross G-202 (N39HR), Grand Junction, CO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's inadvertent entry into a spin while performing aerobatic maneuvers. A contributing factor was the pilot's lack of aerobatic experience. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.