What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 11, 2021, the pilot departed from the delta Colorado airport (kajz) on an IFR flight plan in mountainous terrain in a Beech 58 aircraft. Reported winds at the nearest airport, grand junction, from the accident site was reporting winds from 110 degrees at 15 knots at 1453 UTC three minutes prior to the accident at an altitude of 4,861 MSL, with winds increasing to 130 degrees 21 gusting to 27 knots at 1553 UTC. The pilot climbed to a cruising at an altitude of 15, 000 MSL where the roab program depicted a potential of mountain waves, and the goes-16 infrared and visible imagery surrounding the period depicted scattered mid-level clouds over the area associated with altocumulus standing lenticular (acsl). In addition pilot reports in the surrounding area were reporting up to moderate turbulence.
ADS-B data obtained from flightaware indicates the pilot experienced drastic changes in the rates of climb and descent over short periods of time. Data indicates at 10:55:20 the pilot went from a 400 fpm climb to 1080 fpm descent in 30 seconds, followed by change of 1,500 fpm climb over 20 seconds then a rapid descent up to 8,600 fpm with a rapid decrease in airspeed resulting in a near vertical descent at approximately 21 knots airspeed. The aircraft impacted the terrain upright in a nearly flat position with all parts of the aircraft in close proximity indicating a possible flat spin.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 11, 2021, THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM THE DELTA COLORADO AIRPORT (KAJZ) ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN A BEECH 58 AIRCRAFT. REPORTED WINDS AT THE NEAREST AIRPORT, GRAND JUNCTION, FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS REPORTING WINDS FROM 110 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS AT 1453 UTC THREE MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 4,861 MSL, WITH WINDS INCREASING TO 130 DEGREES 21 GUSTING TO 27 KNOTS AT 1553 UTC. THE PILOT CLIMBED TO A CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 15, 000 MSL WHERE THE ROAB PROGRAM DEPICTED A POTENTIAL OF MOUNTAIN WAVES, AND THE GOES-16 INFRARED AND VISIBLE IMAGERY SURROUNDING THE PERIOD DEPICTED SCATTERED MID-LEVEL CLOUDS OVER THE AREA ASSOCIATED WITH ALTOCUMULUS STANDING LENTICULAR (ACSL). IN ADDITION PILOT REPORTS IN THE SURROUNDING AREA WERE REPORTING UP TO MODERATE TURBULENCE.
ADS-B DATA OBTAINED FROM FLIGHTAWARE INDICATES THE PILOT EXPERIENCED DRASTIC CHANGES IN THE RATES OF CLIMB AND DESCENT OVER SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. DATA INDICATES AT 10:55:20 THE PILOT WENT FROM A 400 FPM CLIMB TO 1080 FPM DESCENT IN 30 SECONDS, FOLLOWED BY CHANGE OF 1,500 FPM CLIMB OVER 20 SECONDS THEN A RAPID DESCENT UP TO 8,600 FPM WITH A RAPID DECREASE IN AIRSPEED RESULTING IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT AT APPROXIMATELY 21 KNOTS AIRSPEED. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN UPRIGHT IN A NEARLY FLAT POSITION WITH ALL PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT IN CLOSE PROXIMITY INDICATING A POSSIBLE FLAT SPIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.