# Accident 20160615006729A: Cessna 320E, Creede, CO, June 15, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 15, 2016, 14:20 local time
- Place: Creede, CO
- Airport: Creede Mineral County Memorial
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.8222° N, 106.9061° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8222&lon=-106.9061&mi=10
- Aircraft: N777GY, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N777GY-2017-07-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 320E (registry code 2074514, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-320e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 320E
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-520 SER
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,940 total, 100 in this make and model, 246 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16FA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA224) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160615006729A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

WITNESS STATEMENT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AGL. THIS WAS HIGH FOR OUR AIRPORT (NARROW VALLEY) UNLESS THE PLANE WAS PLANNING ON AN EXTENDED FINAL. SUDDENLY THE PLANE DROPPED THE NOSE AND BANKED A STRONG LEFT DESCENDING TURN. HE DESCENDED VERY STEEPLY, AND I WAS THINKING HE WAS HOT-DOGGING, WHICH WAS STRANGE DUE TO THE WIND CONDITIONS. HE DROPPED ABOUT 800 FEET IN LESS THAN A QUARTER MILE. HE THEN LEVELED TO ABOUT 200 FEET AGL AND REMAINED ON HEADING (BASE LEG); HE NEVER TURNED OR TRIED TO TURN TO FINAL. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED WINGS LEVEL SLOWLY DESCENDING, NO ABRUPT PITCH UP, NO STALL. I DID NOT SEE WHEELS DOWN. HE DISAPPEARED BEHIND THE RIVER BANK AND A SECOND LATER I SAW A SMALL CLOUD OF BURSTING DUST. EVIDENCE SHOWED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE WAS NOT PRODUCING POWER, THE LEFT PROP BLADE THAT STOPPED AT THE 12:00 POSITION HAD A SMALL CHIP TAKEN OUT OF THE TIP AND A COUPLE OF HORIZONTAL SCRATCHES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN16FA224](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16FA224), Jun 15, 2016: Cessna 320E (N777GY), Creede, CO, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of airplane control during descent following a loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations and engine test-runs of both engines…

## Other reports on N777GY (3)

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

- [Incident 19910219010379I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910219010379I), Feb 19, 1991: Cessna 320E (N777GY), Denver, CO, Minor damage. Nose gear cocked and not down. Landed nose gear up. Found nose gear drive tube bent and fractured.
- [Incident 19810121010109I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810121010109I), Jan 21, 1981: Cessna 320E (N777GY), Omaha, NE, Minor damage. During roll out the right gear collapsed due to over center linkage broken.
- [Incident 19800706059809I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19800706059809I), Jul 6, 1980: Cessna 320E (N777GY), Osage Beach, MO, Minor damage. Airplane veered to the right, off the runway, in spite of hard left braking.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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