What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The aircraft originally departed rocky mountain metropolitan airport (bjc) on a 14 CFR part 91 personal flight with a planned stop at Glenwood Springs Colorado municipal airport (gws). The final destination was to return to bjc. The pilot stated that prior to leaving bjc he visually verified that both fuel tanks looked full. The pilot reported that after spending about 20 minutes on the ground he left gws and was climbing in mountainous terrain when the aircraft accident occurred. The pilot stated that he had left gws and was flying perpendicular to Glenwood canyon while assessing his route back to bjc. He stated that he decided to fly the left (north) side of the canyon, that he made various power increases/changes to climb as the terrain began to move upward in his visual reference. He stated that the power increases did not seem to help the climb, so he slowed to 70 KIAS to minimize his turnaround radius. He says that his memory from that point is very unclear. He thinks he continued to increase power, but that the aircraft didn't seem to respond and that the terrain continued to rise. He thinks he slowed more to make a turnaround and remembers the aircraft hitting a tree. The pilot suffered minor injuries and was treated and released from a local hospital. The aircraft received substantial damage. Weather reports nearby for the time of the accident were winds calm, visibility 10 statue miles and sky conditions clear.
As the FAA filed it
THE AIRCRAFT ORIGINALLY DEPARTED ROCKY MOUNTAIN METROPOLITAN AIRPORT (BJC) ON A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WITH A PLANNED STOP AT GLENWOOD SPRINGS COLORADO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (GWS). THE FINAL DESTINATION WAS TO RETURN TO BJC. THE PILOT STATED THAT PRIOR TO LEAVING BJC HE VISUALLY VERIFIED THAT BOTH FUEL TANKS LOOKED FULL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER SPENDING ABOUT 20 MINUTES ON THE GROUND HE LEFT GWS AND WAS CLIMBING IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WHEN THE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD LEFT GWS AND WAS FLYING PERPENDICULAR TO GLENWOOD CANYON WHILE ASSESSING HIS ROUTE BACK TO BJC. HE STATED THAT HE DECIDED TO FLY THE LEFT (NORTH) SIDE OF THE CANYON, THAT HE MADE VARIOUS POWER INCREASES/CHANGES TO CLIMB AS THE TERRAIN BEGAN TO MOVE UPWARD IN HIS VISUAL REFERENCE. HE STATED THAT THE POWER INCREASES DID NOT SEEM TO HELP THE CLIMB, SO HE SLOWED TO 70 KIAS TO MINIMIZE HIS TURNAROUND RADIUS. HE SAYS THAT HIS MEMORY FROM THAT POINT IS VERY UNCLEAR. HE THINKS HE CONTINUED TO INCREASE POWER, BUT THAT THE AIRCRAFT DIDN'T SEEM TO RESPOND AND THAT THE TERRAIN CONTINUED TO RISE. HE THINKS HE SLOWED MORE TO MAKE A TURNAROUND AND REMEMBERS THE AIRCRAFT HITTING A TREE. THE PILOT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES AND WAS TREATED AND RELEASED FROM A LOCAL HOSPITAL. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. WEATHER REPORTS NEARBY FOR THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE WINDS CALM, VISIBILITY 10 STATUE MILES AND SKY CONDITIONS CLEAR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.