20160520024549A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Michael Burton CALIDUS · Fruitland, UT · May 20, 2016

Date: May 20, 2016 · 11:00 local
Place: Fruitland, UT
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N50NE
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR16LA114
Reported as: Michael Burton Calidus
Reported engine: ROTAX 912
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total300 in this make and model150 in the last 90 days

N50NERegistration cancelled Sep 4, 2020 · Michael Burton CALIDUSS/N C00240 · Built 2014 Airframe modelMichael Burton CALIDUS Engine modelRotax 912 series4 cycle

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.

On a VFR flight the aircraft collided with mountainous terrain. The cross-country flight departed duchesne, Utah about 30 minutes prior to the accident with a planned destination of spanish fork, UT (U77). The pilot and passenger were seriously injured. The aircraft had substantial damage.

The pilot reported that as he approached his last ridge line, about 200 ft above the peak, they encountered a strong downdraft and the aircraft descended 500 ft into a box canyon. He was unable to out climb the terrain, the pilot guided the aircraft over a river at the base of a canyon and attempted to land on the shore of a river. The right wheel struck a bolder and the aircraft collided over, coming to rest in the river.

A witness, who was fishing in the river, called 911 to report the accident. The pilot and passenger were not recovered until later that evening.

As the FAA filed it

ON A VFR FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT DEPARTED DUCHESNE, UTAH ABOUT 30 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF SPANISH FORK, UT (U77). THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS HE APPROACHED HIS LAST RIDGE LINE, ABOUT 200 FT ABOVE THE PEAK, THEY ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED 500 FT INTO A BOX CANYON. HE WAS UNABLE TO OUT CLIMB THE TERRAIN, THE PILOT GUIDED THE AIRCRAFT OVER A RIVER AT THE BASE OF A CANYON AND ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON THE SHORE OF A RIVER. THE RIGHT WHEEL STRUCK A BOLDER AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED OVER, COMING TO REST IN THE RIVER.

A WITNESS, WHO WAS FISHING IN THE RIVER, CALLED 911 TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT RECOVERED UNTIL LATER THAT EVENING.

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 WPR16LA114Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportFruitland, UTThe pilot's improper judgment in conducting a flight in a gyroplane over mountainous terrain near its demonstrated maximum operating altitude and his subsequent failure to maintain adequate clearance with terrain during cruise flight in turbulent weather…May 20, 2016 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N50NE · 1

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

Accident 20150106000249AClimb · Glade Park, COAircraft departed montrose Colorado at approx 1630, heading toward spanish fork Utah in a north west direction. Attempted to climb over mountainous terrain, could see he wasnt going to make it, turned away from the ridge, struck trees and crashedJan 6, 2015 · Substantial damage