20040809018979A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172P · Monarch, CO · August 9, 2004

Date: August 9, 2004 · 17:30 local
Place: Monarch, CO
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N911JR
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN04FA119
Reported as: Cessna 172P
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 200 total

N911JRRegistration cancelled Aug 7, 2006 · Cessna 172PS/N 17276224 · Built 1984 Airframe modelCessna 172P Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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 aircraft crashed in mountainous terrain while attempting to cross the Continental divide at approximately 12,000 feet MSL in VFR conditions. Both pilots were qualified to be PIC but due to the post crash fire the pilot flying was unable to be determined. An eyewitness who was hiking nearby observed the aircraft close to terrain and appearing to be standing still in the air. The aircraft then began a right turn away from the ridge, nosed into the ground and burned. The local temperature was 17 degrees c, making the density altitude approximately 14,000 feet, the service ceiling of the airplane. Wind speed from an automated site was reported as zero, however, witnesses said the wind was gusty. Examination of the wreckage showed propeller damage indicative of a power on condition and all flight control surfaces were intact. The cockpit/cabin section was destroyed by fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CROSS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE AT APPROXIMATELY 12,000 FEET MSL IN VFR CONDITIONS. BOTH PILOTS WERE QUALIFIED TO BE PIC BUT DUE TO THE POST CRASH FIRE THE PILOT FLYING WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. AN EYEWITNESS WHO WAS HIKING NEARBY OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT CLOSE TO TERRAIN AND APPEARING TO BE STANDING STILL IN THE AIR. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BEGAN A RIGHT TURN AWAY FROM THE RIDGE, NOSED INTO THE GROUND AND BURNED. THE LOCAL TEMPERATURE WAS 17 DEGREES C, MAKING THE DENSITY ALTITUDE APPROXIMATELY 14,000 FEET, THE SERVICE CEILING OF THE AIRPLANE. WIND SPEED FROM AN AUTOMATED SITE WAS REPORTED AS ZERO, HOWEVER, WITNESSES SAID THE WIND WAS GUSTY. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED PROPELLER DAMAGE INDICATIVE OF A POWER ON CONDITION AND ALL FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE INTACT. THE COCKPIT/CABIN SECTION WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE.

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 DEN04FA119Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportMonarch Crest, COthe pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in a stall, and his decision to conduct flight beyond the performance capability of the aircraft. A contributing factor was the high density altitude, and an inadvertent stall.Aug 9, 2004 · Destroyed

Other reports on N911JR · 1

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

Incident 19930627028819IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Cleveland, OHAircraft landed on runway and ran off runway. Hit a taxiway sign.Jun 27, 1993 · Minor damage