- Date
- July 8, 2010, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Estes Park, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N56BCChampion 8KCAB
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 7, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Denver FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100708038779A
- Case key
- 76570
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude in mountainous terrain and weather conditions conducive to downdrafts.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that when he was trying to fly across a mountain pass, the airplane encountered a strong downdraft. The pilot added full power but was unable to stop the airplane’s descent, so he performed a forced landing in a heavily forested area. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. A review of weather radar and satellite imagery showed convective development at the accident location just before the accident. Postaccident interviews with personnel at the departure airport indicated that the pilot stated that he had not flown in the mountains before and that he took off despite warnings about the current weather and related mountain flying hazards.
Factual narrative
On July 8, 2010, approximately 1230 mountain daylight time, an American Champion 8KCAB, airplane, N56BC, was substantially damaged when it impacted mountainous terrain in a wilderness area near Estes Park, Colorado. The two pilots sustained minor injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated without a flight plan. The airplane departed the Greeley-Weld County Airport (GXY) Greeley, Colorado, at 1130 and was en route to Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE) Aspen, Colorado. According to the pilot, he was attempting to cross a mountain pass and was performing a 180-degree turn to gain altitude. During the turn, the airplane encountered a strong downdraft. The pilot added full power but was unable to arrest the descent. The pilot performed a forced landing upslope in a very heavy forested area in a remote canyon. The elevation of the impact location was approximately 11,000 feet mean sea level. Both wings were bent aft and partially separated from the fuselage. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. A review of weather radar and satellite imagery identified convective development at the accident location, just prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56BC
- Reported as
- Champion 8KCAB (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1088-2009
- Airframe hours
- 46
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360-H1B, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2010
- Departed
- GXY · Greeley, CO
- Destination
- ASE · Aspen, CO
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2009
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 11,420 total · 110 in this make and model · 11,756 as pilot in command · 65 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 18
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 21, 2009
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 137 total · 56 in this make and model · 60 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.37 inHg
- Observed at
- K20V, 35 nm away
Docket · 13
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 15, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.