20010408006469A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-24-250 · Telluride, CO · April 8, 2001

Date: April 8, 2001 · 14:30 local
Place: Telluride, CO
Airport: Telluride Regional Airport
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N7736P
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN01LA083
Reported as: Piper PA24250

N7736PRegistered now · Piper PA-24-250S/N 24-2950 Airframe modelPiper PA-24-250 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) A/c rotated normally. Pilot retracted gear at approx. 50-75 feet to increase forward speed. Pilot then suddenly encountered a strong down draft forcing a/c back down to north end of runway. Pilot pointed nose back towards runway and landed on belly with gear up as there was no time to put the gear down. Propeller struck runway and a/c slid to stop.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) A/C ROTATED NORMALLY. PILOT RETRACTED GEAR AT APPROX. 50-75 FEET TO INCREASE FORWARD SPEED. PILOT THEN SUDDENLY ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWN DRAFT FORCING A/C BACK DOWN TO NORTH END OF RUNWAY. PILOT POINTED NOSE BACK TOWARDS RUNWAY AND LANDED ON BELLY WITH GEAR UP AS THERE WAS NO TIME TO PUT THE GEAR DOWN. PROPELLER STRUCK RUNWAY AND A/C SLID TO STOP.

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 DEN01LA083Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportTelluride, COthe pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during initial climb. Factors include the gusty wind and high density altitude conditions.Apr 8, 2001 · Substantial damage