20030326004059A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna A185F · Grand Junction, CO · March 26, 2003

Date: March 26, 2003 · 18:16 local
Place: Grand Junction, CO
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N53008
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03FA059
Reported as: Cessna A185F
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 4

N53008Registration cancelled Jul 10, 2003 · Cessna A185FS/N 18502313 · Built 1973 Airframe modelCessna A185F Engine modelContinental IO-520 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) The pilot and three passengers were observed loading the aircraft with a bathroom tub and shower enclosure with the rear seats removed. Plumbing fixtures, pipe, and misc. Electrical outlets were also found at the accident site. Winds were out of the southwest at 40 to 45 KTS. And the pilot was observed having difficulty in taxiing to the runway for departure. During the takeoff the aircraft departed the right side of the runway and continued until airborne. A left turn was made and an erratic track was flown with a direct tail wind toward a mesa five miles from the airport in line to his destination. Less than a mile beyond the mesa edge the aircraft impacted the canyon floor at a steep angle and very high rate of speed. The engine appeared to be producing power and all flight controls were found to have continuity.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE OBSERVED LOADING THE AIRCRAFT WITH A BATHROOM TUB AND SHOWER ENCLOSURE WITH THE REAR SEATS REMOVED. PLUMBING FIXTURES, PIPE, AND MISC. ELECTRICAL OUTLETS WERE ALSO FOUND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. WINDS WERE OUT OF THE SOUTHWEST AT 40 TO 45 KTS. AND THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED HAVING DIFFICULTY IN TAXIING TO THE RUNWAY FOR DEPARTURE. DURING THE TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND CONTINUED UNTIL AIRBORNE. A LEFT TURN WAS MADE AND AN ERRATIC TRACK WAS FLOWN WITH A DIRECT TAIL WIND TOWARD A MESA FIVE MILES FROM THE AIRPORT IN LINE TO HIS DESTINATION. LESS THAN A MILE BEYOND THE MESA EDGE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE CANYON FLOOR AT A STEEP ANGLE AND VERY HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE PRODUCING POWER AND ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE FOUND TO HAVE CONTINUITY.

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 DEN03FA059Accident · 4 fatalField investigationFinal reportGrand Junction, COthe pilot's poor judgment and his failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the high winds and downdrafts, and the pilot's self-induced pressure to go home.Mar 27, 2003 · Destroyed

Other reports on N53008 · 2

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

Accident 19750626017909AGo Round (Aborted VFR) · Burlington, COAborted go-around after power loss. Lint & rust found in screens.Jun 26, 1975 · Substantial damage Accident 19740408007119ATakeoff Ground Roll · Burlington, COGusting to 15KApr 8, 1974 · Substantial damage