# NTSB DEN03LA043: Socata TBM 700, N700GJ, Aspen, CO, February 15, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: February 15, 2003, 16:01 local (23:01 UTC) - Place: Aspen, CO - Coordinates: 39.223056, -106.868888 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2231&lon=-106.8689&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 56503 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA043 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56503/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56503 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA043 ## Probable cause the dual student's failure to maintain aircraft control and the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor. Contributing factors include the tailwind and the turbulence. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, landing - aircraft control - not maintained, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - runway (contributing factor) ## Analysis The approach was stabilized at 100 knots with landing gear and flaps in the landing position. The approach was normal until approximately 100 feet above the runway at which time the airplane encountered a turbulence condition causing rapid-roll tendencies right and left. As the student began his landing flare at about 15 feet above the runway, the left wing dropped rapidly combined with a sudden high sink rate. At that point the flight instructor took control of the airplane, applying corrective rudder, aileron, pitch and power corrections. Despite the flight instructor's actions, the left wing struck the runway. Winds at the time were reported 310 degrees at 6 knots. The temperature was 2 degrees Celsius. Records suggest that the winds were variable throughout the day. ## Factual narrative On February 15, 2003, at 1601 mountain standard time, a Socata TBM 700, N700GJ, was substantially damaged when it dragged a wing during landing at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, Aspen, Colorado. The airline transport pilot flight instructor, the private pilot receiving instruction, and their two passengers were not injured. RBL Aviation LLC, of Carlsbad, California, was operating the airplane under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that originated at approximately 1515 from Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado. The pilot was flying under an Instrument Flight Rules flight plan. The flight instructor said the instrument rated private pilot flew the VOR/DME approach to runway 15, and they broke out of the clouds at approximately 11,500 to 12,000 feet. He said the approach was stabilized at 100 knots with landing gear and flaps in the landing position. "The approach was normal until approximately 100 feet above the runway at which time the airplane encountered a probable wind shear or wake turbulence condition causing rapid-roll tendencies right and left. As the [student] began his landing flare at about 15 feet above the runway the left wing dropped rapidly combined with a sudden high sink rate." At that point the flight instructor said he took control of the airplane, "applying corrective rudder, aileron, pitch and power corrections." Despite the flight instructor's actions, the left wing tip struck the runway. An airport employee was at the A-2 intersection, 1/4-mile from where the event took place. The employee observed the aircraft, during the landing flare, rise suddenly 6 to 10 feet. The aircraft then banked hard to the left. The employee noted that there were no unusual winds; they were nearly calm. Winds at the time were reported 310 degrees at 6 knots. The temperature was 2 degrees Celsius. According to weather records, the winds had been variable throughout the day. Postaccident examination of the left wing revealed that four outboard ribs were bent, an aileron hinge was abraded, the upper wing skin was wrinkled, and the spoiler push rod was bent. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N700GJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N700GJ), registered now, S/N 241, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: SOCATA TBM 700 - Registry model: [Socata TBM 700](https://openairdocs.org/model/socata-tbm-700) (registry code 8682000) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-6 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-6-series) (registry code 52150, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 241 - Airframe hours: 124.3 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT-6-64 700 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: RBL Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: October 1, 2002, 123.4 hours before - Departed: APA, Englewood, CO - Destination: ASE, Aspen, CO - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ASE, Aspen-Pitkin Co/Sardy Field, runway 15, 7,006 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 70; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport, flight engineer; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 7, 2002; seat: right; flight hours: 23,592 total, 445 in this make and model, 11,910 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 33 in the last 30 days - Student pilot; age 47; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review June 1, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 691 total, 38 in this make and model, 479 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 10 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 5,000 ft broken - Temperature: 36 °F, dew point 23 °F - Altimeter: 29.98 inHg - Observed at: ASE ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030215002369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030215002369A), Feb 15, 2003: Socata TBM700, Aspen, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) On February 15, 2003, I, willam e. cornick, was acting as flight instructor and pilot in command on a flight in tbm 700, N700GJ, from the denver,… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 17, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56503. 626 KB in all. - Supplement E (item 1, .PDF, 87 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40189240&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20E-Master.PDF - Supplement S (item 2, .PDF, 21 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40189241&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 3, .PDF, 303 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40196467&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Record of Telephone Conversation (item 4, .PDF, 11 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40189243&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Telephone%20Conversation-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 5, .PDF, 51 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40189244&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Maps or Charts of Accident Area, Wreckage Diagrams (item 6, .PDF, 153 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40189245&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maps%20or%20Charts%20of%20Accident%20Area,%20Wreckage%20Diagrams-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.