20220911015769A

ON 09/12/2022, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE WEST OF HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR NEAR FORT COLLINS, COLORADO. THE AIRCRAFT OPERATED AS A TRAINING FLIGHT AND ORIGINATED FROM BOULDER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE ON BOARD WITH WHO RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. WEATHER AT FORT COLLINS AIRPORT (11 MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SCENE) AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS WIND AT 180° AT 5 KNOTS, CLEAR SKIES WITH A TEMPERATURE OF 21°C. PER THE PIC’S STATEMENT, THE FLIGHT WAS THE FOURTH OF THE DAY FOR THE PILOT. THE PIC STATED, HE PICKED UP HIS BROTHER AT THE BOULDER AIRPORT AND WENT ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. HIS BROTHER WISHED TO FLY AND THE PIC WAS ACTING AS A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DUE TO THE FACT THAT HIS BROTHER WAS NOT CURRENT. WHILE MANEUVERING EAST OF THE RESERVOIR, HIS BROTHER REDUCED THE POWER TO OBSERVE MORE OF THE SCENERY. THE PIC INSTRUCTED HIS BROTHER TO MAINTAIN THE ALTITUDE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PIC STATED THAT HIS BROTHER STATED, “I CAN’T PULL UP, JAMMED ELEVATOR.” THE PIC STATED THAT HE BELIEVED THEY WERE APPROXIMATELY 1500 TO 2000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PIC TOOK COMMAND OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ADDED POWER AND USED THE TRIM CONTROL TO GAIN ALTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT GAINED ALTITUDE AND AFTER A DISCUSSION THE DECISION WAS MADE TO FLY TOWARDS THE RESERVOIR. AS THE PIC FLEW OVER HORSETOOTH RESERVOIR, HE ATTEMPTED TO FREE THE JAMMED ELEVATOR. THIS FAILED TO PROVIDE A CHANGE. THE PIC STATED THAT HE AVOIDED ANY EXCESSIVE TURNS SO AS TO NOT LOSE AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE. HE TURNED INTO A VALLEY BUT THE TERRAIN WAS CLIMBING FASTER THAN THE AIRCRAFT COULD CLIMB. THE AIRCRAFT STALL HORN WENT OFF AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A TREE. BOTH THE PIC AND HIS BROTHER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES. WHILE SPEAKING TO FIRST RESPONDERS ON SCENE THE PIC STATED THAT HE HAD AN ENGINE PROBLEM AND WAS FORCED TO LAND. THE PIC WAS UNCOOPERATIVE AND REFUSED TO PROVIDE STATEMENTS TO ANYONE WITH THE POLICE OR NTSB. FIRST RESPONDERS ON THE SCENE REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT LEAKING FUEL FROM BOTH WINGS AND ESTIMATED OVER 20 GALLONS OF FUEL HAD LEAKED OUT.

POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE FOUND THE AIRCRAFT RESTING ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, APPROXIMATELY ½ MILE FROM THE VALLEY FLOOR. THE AIRCRAFT’S LEFT WING IMPACTED A TREE FOUR FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND COME TO REST ON THE GROUND. THE NOSE GEAR DETACHED FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE LEFT WING BROKE AT THE MID-POINT AND CRUMPLED AT A 90° ANGLE FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE LEFT WING SHOWED IMPACT DAMAGE TO WING TIP FROM A GROUND IMPACT. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE STILL ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME. THE AFT FUSELAGE SHOWED TORSION DAMAGE TWO FEET BEHIND THE BACK WINDOW. THE ELEVATOR WAS INTACT AND CONTROL CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED FROM THE FIREWALL TO THE AFT BELL CRANK. THE ELEVATOR CONTROL SURFACES MOVED FREELY ABOUT 30-45° OF TRAVEL. RUDDER, ELEVATOR AND AILERON CONTROL CABLE CONTINUITY WERE CONFIRMED ON SCENE.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED AND STORED AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AIRCRAFT ON THE GREELY AIRPORT. ON 09/26/2022, A DETAILED INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE AND AIRFRAME DID NOT REVEAL ANY ADDITIONAL FINDINGS. ALL HARDWARE FOR THE ELEVATOR WAS INSPECTED WITH NO ABNORMAL WEAR OR OTHER INDICATIONS DISCOVERED.

AIR TRAFFIC DATA WAS REVIEWED AND SHOWED FOLLOW A CONTROLLED FLIGHT PATH TO OVER THE RESERVOIR. THE AIRCRAFT THEN TURNED SHARPLY OVER THE RESERVOIR AND FLEW A DIRECT LINE FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE RESERVOIR TO THE CRASH SITE.

SEVERAL VIDEOS OF THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT FLY LOW OVER BOATS APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET ABOVE THE WATER FOR 1.3 MILES BEFORE MAKING A RIGHT TURN AND FLYING OUT OF SIGHT. THE MANEUVERS INCLUDED BANK ANGLES GREATER THAN 60°. THE VIDEO SHOWED EXTENDED PERIODS OF COORDINATED FLIGHT.