20110708015189A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Pipistrel TAURUS · Durango, CO · July 8, 2011

Date: July 8, 2011 · 16:30 local
Place: Durango, CO
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N261T
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN11FA465
Reported as: Pipistrel Taurus
Reported engine: ROTAX SEE BOMBADIER
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor

N261TRegistration cancelled Oct 25, 2017 · Pipistrel TAURUSS/N 051 T 503 · Built 2009 Airframe modelPipistrel TAURUS Engine modelRotax SEE BOMBADIERReciprocating

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.

Pilot was observed manuvering momentarily low over the mountainous golf course and the engine sounded as if it was running. Shortly after witnesses observed the aircraft it crash hard onto a paved golf cart pathway. Witness immediately went to the site and tried to revive the pilot. These attempts were not successful. The emts who arrived on the scence were also unsuccessful.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT WAS OBSERVED MANUVERING MOMENTARILY LOW OVER THE MOUNTAINOUS GOLF COURSE AND THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT WAS RUNNING. SHORTLY AFTER WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT IT CRASH HARD ONTO A PAVED GOLF CART PATHWAY. WITNESS IMMEDIATELY WENT TO THE SITE AND TRIED TO REVIVE THE PILOT. THESE ATTEMPTS WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL. THE EMTS WHO ARRIVED ON THE SCENCE WERE ALSO UNSUCCESSFUL.

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 CEN11FA465Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportDurango, COThe pilot’s loss of control during the off-airport landing in strong winds, which resulted in a hard landing.Jul 8, 2011 · Substantial damage