What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 15, 2017, at approximately 1921 MDT, N462SR, a Cirrus SR22, departed fort collins-loveland municipal airport (fnl) in fort collins, Colorado with the pilot and 3 passengers en-route to canyonlands field airport (cny) in moab, UT. The PIC possessed a private pilot certificate without an instrument rating and was considered current and qualified to fly this aircraft according to the regulations.
The PIC was receiving VFR flight following at about 11,000 ft. MSL. On a southwesterly heading. About 10 miles northeast of Glenwood springs, CO the airplane turned northwest and climbed to 12,000 ft. MSL for about 12 miles. The airplane then turned back to the southwest and gradually descended. The last radar data was at 20:09 at an altitude of 11,400 feet.
The closest weather station was located about 16 miles southwest of teh accident site at an elevation of 10,600 ft. MSL. At 20:08 it reported the wind from 240 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 23 knots, wind
Direction varying between 210 and 280 degrees, 1/2-mile visibility, fog, overcast ceiling at 200
Feet, temperature 2 degrees c, dew point 1 degree c, and altimeter setting of 30.24.
When the aircraft didn't arrive as planned the family reported the aircraft overdue and a search was initiated. The aircraft wreckage was located the next morning at a location approximately 1/4 mile south of the last radar return at an altitude of about 11,000 ft. MSL.
The aircraft was completetly destroyed. There were several trees severed at different heights prior to the initial impact with terrain. The direction of flight upon impact was approximately 070 to 075 degrees. Aircraft wreckage was spread over a large area and most of it was consumed by a post impact fire. Portions of the propeller hub were found in the debris field almost 700 ft from the initial impact point. The engine and propeller were very fragmented and located throughout the debris field. The parachute was located within the debris field. It was extended but still folded. The caps rocket was located about 200 feet from the initial impact and was not expended.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 15, 2017, AT APPROXIMATELY 1921 MDT, N462SR, A CIRRUS SR22, DEPARTED FORT COLLINS-LOVELAND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (FNL) IN FORT COLLINS, COLORADO WITH THE PILOT AND 3 PASSENGERS EN-ROUTE TO CANYONLANDS FIELD AIRPORT (CNY) IN MOAB, UT. THE PIC POSSESSED A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITHOUT AN INSTRUMENT RATING AND WAS CONSIDERED CURRENT AND QUALIFIED TO FLY THIS AIRCRAFT ACCORDING TO THE REGULATIONS.
THE PIC WAS RECEIVING VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING AT ABOUT 11,000 FT. MSL. ON A SOUTHWESTERLY HEADING. ABOUT 10 MILES NORTHEAST OF GLENWOOD SPRINGS, CO THE AIRPLANE TURNED NORTHWEST AND CLIMBED TO 12,000 FT. MSL FOR ABOUT 12 MILES. THE AIRPLANE THEN TURNED BACK TO THE SOUTHWEST AND GRADUALLY DESCENDED. THE LAST RADAR DATA WAS AT 20:09 AT AN ALTITUDE OF 11,400 FEET.
THE CLOSEST WEATHER STATION WAS LOCATED ABOUT 16 MILES SOUTHWEST OF TEH ACCIDENT SITE AT AN ELEVATION OF 10,600 FT. MSL. AT 20:08 IT REPORTED THE WIND FROM 240 DEGREES AT 11 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 23 KNOTS, WIND
DIRECTION VARYING BETWEEN 210 AND 280 DEGREES, 1/2-MILE VISIBILITY, FOG, OVERCAST CEILING AT 200
FEET, TEMPERATURE 2 DEGREES C, DEW POINT 1 DEGREE C, AND ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.24.
WHEN THE AIRCRAFT DIDN'T ARRIVE AS PLANNED THE FAMILY REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT OVERDUE AND A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED THE NEXT MORNING AT A LOCATION APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE SOUTH OF THE LAST RADAR RETURN AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 11,000 FT. MSL.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETETLY DESTROYED. THERE WERE SEVERAL TREES SEVERED AT DIFFERENT HEIGHTS PRIOR TO THE INITIAL IMPACT WITH TERRAIN. THE DIRECTION OF FLIGHT UPON IMPACT WAS APPROXIMATELY 070 TO 075 DEGREES. AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS SPREAD OVER A LARGE AREA AND MOST OF IT WAS CONSUMED BY A POST IMPACT FIRE. PORTIONS OF THE PROPELLER HUB WERE FOUND IN THE DEBRIS FIELD ALMOST 700 FT FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE VERY FRAGMENTED AND LOCATED THROUGHOUT THE DEBRIS FIELD. THE PARACHUTE WAS LOCATED WITHIN THE DEBRIS FIELD. IT WAS EXTENDED BUT STILL FOLDED. THE CAPS ROCKET WAS LOCATED ABOUT 200 FEET FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT AND WAS NOT EXPENDED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.