# Accident 20211208020679A: Michael V Cranford VANS RV-4, Walsenburg, CO, December 8, 2021 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: December 8, 2021, 10:12 local time - Place: Walsenburg, CO - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Maneuver - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 37.7928° N, 104.5762° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7928&lon=-104.5762&mi=10 - Aircraft: N456MC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N456MC-2022-12-31) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Michael V Cranford VANS RV-4 (registry code 05638VM, https://openairdocs.org/model/michael-v-cranford-vans-rv-4) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360 series (registry code 41881, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MICHAEL V CRANFORD VANS RV-4 - Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Airline transport - Pilot flight hours: 20,100 total - NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22FA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA064) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211208020679A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON DECEMBER 8, 2021, ABOUT 1013 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A VANS RV-4 AIRPLANE, N456MC, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT NEAR WALSENBURG, COLORADO. THE PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATED AS A TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO TWO OTHER PILOTS INVOLVED IN THE FLIGHT, THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS A THREE-AIRPLANE FORMATION FLIGHT WITH POSITION CHANGES PLANNED DURING THE COURSE OF THE FLIGHT. THE THREE AIRPLANES DEPARTED THE MEADOW LAKE AIRPORT (FLY), COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, AND HEADED SOUTH WITH THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE AS THE LEAD AIRPLANE. AS THE AIRPLANES TRANSITIONED SOUTH PAST PUEBLO, COLORADO, THEY BEGAN A DESCENT TOWARDS THE CUCHARAS RESERVOIR, NORTHEAST OF WALSENBURG. THE AIRPLANES WERE IN A RIGHT ECHELON ROUTE FORMATION AND WERE PREPARED TO GO TO A TRAIL FORMATION FOR A LOW-LEVEL MANEUVERING FLIGHT. ABOUT 1 MILE NORTH OF THE RESERVOIR, THE ACCIDENT PILOT DIRECTED THE TWO OTHER PILOTS TO ?GO TRAIL?, AND HE EXECUTED A LEFT TURN AND DESCENT TOWARDS A RIVER CANYON THAT EXTENDED NORTH OF THE RESERVOIR. THE PILOTS REPORTED THEY ENTERED A DESCENT AND ENCOUNTERED STRONG SURFACE WINDS AND TURBULENCE ABOVE THE CANYON RIM. THE ACCIDENT PILOT?S AIRPLANE DESCENDED BELOW THE CANYON RIM IN A STEEP LEFT BANK TURN. THE PILOTS OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE?S LEFT WING CONTACT THE EDGE OF THE CANYON AT A HIGH SPEED. THE AIRPLANE FRAGMENTED AND CAME TO A STOP IN THE CANYON. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOTS CIRCLED THE AREA, CONTACTED AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TO REPORT THE ACCIDENT LOCATION, AND THEN RETURNED TO FLY. A REVIEW OF THE AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE-BROADCAST (ADS-B) DATA REVEALED THE FLIGHT TRACKS FOR THE THREE AIRPLANES WERE CONSISTENT WITH THE WITNESS REPORTS. THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE?S DATA ENDED ABOUT 1 MILE WEST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE REVEALED AIRPLANE DEBRIS CONSISTENT WITH THE LEFT WING AND WING TIP WERE AT THE INITIAL IMPACT AREA. THE AIRPLANE?S FORWARD FUSELAGE IMPACTED ROCKY TERRAIN, AND THE AIRPLANE FRAGMENTED INTO MULTIPLE SECTIONS. THE ENGINE, FRACTURED COMPOSITE PROPELLER BLADES, AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WERE SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AND CAME TO REST BETWEEN THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT AND MAIN WRECKAGE. THE MAIN WRECKAGE CONSISTED OF THE COCKPIT/CABIN, EMPENNAGE, AND INBOARD SECTIONS OF THE LEFT AND RIGHT WINGS. NO FURTHER ACTION AT THIS TIME. ## 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 CEN22FA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA064), Dec 8, 2021: Vans RV-4 (N456MC), Walsenburg, CO, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while intentionally maneuvering in a canyon at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to enter a canyon environment… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.