- Date
- June 20, 2000, 21:45 local (Jun 21, 2000, 03:45 UTC)
- Place
- Orchard, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N84105Cessna 172K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000620009829A
- Case key
- 49491
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 inadvertently stalling the airplane. A factor was his failure to maintain sufficient airspeed.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
While was en route from Greeley to Akron, Colorado, the pilot observed smoke coming from the cowling. He made a precautionary landing on a beach alongside a reservoir. After landing, the pilot inspected the airplane but couldn't find the smoke source. After a period of time to allow the smoke to dissipate, the pilot prepared for takeoff. He said all engine instrument indications were normal and maximum engine power was being developed. A short field takeoff was made, and he lifted off 'prior to [the] go-no go decision point.' As the airplane crossed over the water, it began losing altitude. The right wing dropped and the airplane struck the water and nosed over. The pilot surmised that the smoke source was due to the 'breaking in' of the newly installed muffler and exhaust stacks.
Factual narrative
On June 20, 2000, approximately 2145 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172K, N84105, operated by Champion Airviews Co., of Port Orange, Florida, was destroyed when it collided with water during takeoff from a beach near Orchard, Colorado. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Greeley, Colorado, approximately 1830.
In a telephone interview (and repeated in his accident report), the pilot said that while he was en route to Akron, Colorado, he observed smoke coming from the cowling and a light smoke entered the cockpit. He elected to make a precautionary landing on a beach alongside the Riverside Reservoir. After landing, the pilot inspected the airplane but couldn't find the smoke source. After a period of time to allow the smoke to dissipate, the pilot prepared for takeoff. He said all engine instrument indications were normal and maximum engine power was being developed. A short field takeoff was made, and he lifted off "prior to [the] go-no go decision point." As the airplane crossed over the water, it began losing altitude. The right wing dropped and the airplane struck the water and nosed over.
The pilot noted that extensive maintenance had been performed on the airplane and on two different occasions, he had made off-airport precautionary landings due to smoke in the cockpit. In the first incident, wiring inside the transponder had burned. In the second incident, unsecured wires had chaffed against a bus bar and short circuited. He surmised that the smoke source during this latest incident was due to the "breaking in" of the newly installed muffler and exhaust stacks.
The airplane was submerged and water damaged. Additionally, there was damage to both wings and empennage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N84105
- Reported as
- Cessna 172K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17258335
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Leroy Champion
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- GXY · Greeley, CO
- Destination
- AKO · Akron, 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,807 total · 1,785 in this make and model · 1,628 as pilot in command · 325 in the last 90 days · 124 in the last 30 days · 9 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 70° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GXY, 23 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.