# Accident 20201126015649A: Williams Leo A RV-4, Telluride, CO, November 26, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 26, 2020, 13:00 local time
- Place: Telluride, CO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.9491° N, 107.8886° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9491&lon=-107.8886&mi=10
- Aircraft: N87LW (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: WILLIAMS LEO A RV-4
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN21LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA067) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201126015649A

## Narrative

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

ON 26 NOVEMBER 2020, N87LW WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY FROM TELLURIDE REGIONAL AIRPORT (TEX) TO DURANGO-LA PLATA (DRO) TO RETRIEVE A PASSENGER AND THEN RETURN TO TEX.  ACCORDING TO FUEL RECEIPTS, THE PILOT DISPENSED 23.87 GALLONS OF 100 LOW-LEAD AVIATION FUEL USING THE SELF-SERVE FUEL PUMP AT TEX.  AT 1229, THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED DRO HEADING NORTH WITH A DESTINATION OF TEX.  THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) PLUS ONE PASSENGER REACHED THE TELLURIDE AREA AT 1256.  THE PIC CONTACTED UNICOM AND WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARKING BY THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR (FBO).  THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH 9,900 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE SOUTH OF THE RUNWAY 27 CENTERLINE AT 100 KNOTS.  THE PIC CONTINUED DECELERATING DURING THE DOWNWIND APPROACH WHILE DESCENDING APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET PER MINUTE (FPM).  AT 1259 THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A LEFT TURN  FROM THE BASE LEG TOWARD A 0.5 STATUTE MILE (SM) FINAL APPROACH COURSE TO RUNWAY 27.  DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE'S RATE OF DECENT INCREASED RAPIDLY FROM 578 FPM TO 3,700 FPM WHILE CONTINUING TO DECELERATE TO APPROXIMATELY 52 KNOTS.  AT ABOUT THIS TIME THE AIRPLANE STALLED CAUSING IT TO IMPACT TERRAIN NOSE DOWN RESULTING IN BOTH PIC AND PASSENGER FATALITIES AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.  AIRCRAFT AND PILOT RECORDS ARE BEING SOUGHT BUT ARE CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE.  NTSB INVESTIGATIONS ARE ONGOING AND THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS FURTHER DETERMINATIONS ARE MADE.

## 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 CEN21LA067](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA067), Nov 26, 2020: Vans RV4 (N87LW), Telluride, CO, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the turn from the base leg to final approach, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and entering an…

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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