# NTSB DEN03LA095: Cessna 425, N425SG, Pueblo, CO, May 31, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 31, 2003, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC) - Place: Pueblo, CO - Coordinates: 38.359626, -104.769981 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3596&lon=-104.7700&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Denver FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 57135 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA095 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/57135/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA095 ## Probable cause the pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions. Contributing factors include the encounter with severe turbulence and hail. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal - flight into adverse weather - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - turbulence(thunderstorms) (contributing factor) - weather condition - hail (contributing factor) - weather condition - lightning - weather condition - rain ## Analysis The airplane sustained substantial damage when it encountered hail while in cruise flight. Halfway through the flight, Denver Center advised the pilot "that [his] intersection was closed due to weather" and they changed his route. The flight was at 29,000 feet and was cleared to descend to 27,000 feet. The pilot asked center how long he would be in the rain. The controller replied you should be out of the rain in about 1 or 2 minutes. Shortly thereafter, the aircraft encountered "severe hail, lightning, and turbulence." Weather radar indicated this route of flight passed near an area of moderate thunderstorm activity. The pilot continued to his destination and landed without further incident. ## Factual narrative On May 31, 2003, approximately 1700 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 425, N425SG, was substantially damaged when it encountered hail while in cruise flight, 30 miles northwest of Pueblo, Colorado. The private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Page, Arizona, at 1600 and was flying under an IFR flight plan, en-route to Centennial Airport (APA), Englewood, Colorado. According to the pilot, his original route of flight was from Page, direct to Larks intersection (just west of APA), direct APA. Halfway through the flight, Denver Center advised the pilot "that Larks intersection was closed due to weather." According to the pilot, the flight was then cleared "direct Alamosa, direct Pueblo, direct Black Forest VOR, direct Falcon VOR, direct APA." The pilot stated just east of Alamosa, Denver Center cleared the flight: "direct Fishr intersection, direct Black Forest VOR, direct Falcon VOR, direct APA." The flight was at 29,000 feet and was cleared to descend to 27,000 feet. Approximately 30 miles southwest of Pueblo, the pilot asked Denver Center how long he would be in the rain. The controller replied that the radar information "may or may not be accurate, you'd be out of that in a couple of minutes." According to the pilot, shortly thereafter, the aircraft encountered "severe hail, lightning, and turbulence." Weather radar indicated this route of flight passed near an area of moderate thunderstorm activity. The pilot continued to his destination and landed without further incident. Postflight examination of the airplane revealed damage to the leading edge of the wings, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, exhaust stacks and radome. The mechanic that evaluated the damage said that the airplane required major repair. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N425SG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N425SG-2017-05-22), registration cancelled 2017-05-22, S/N 425-0166, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 425 - Registry model: [Cessna 425](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-425) (registry code 2076018) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60A](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-canada-pt6a-60a) (registry code 52043, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 425-0166 - Airframe hours: 3854 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A 750 horsepower turbo prop; Pratt & Whitney PT6A-135A 750 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, May 14, 2003, 1 hours before - Departed: PGA, PAGE, AZ - Destination: APA, Englewood, CO - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review November 1, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 4,201 total, 426 in this make and model, 4,201 as pilot in command, 68 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.03 inHg - Observed at: PUB ## 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 20030531012289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030531012289A), May 31, 2003: Cessna 425, Pueblo, CO, Substantial damage. (-23) On may 31, 2003, subject aircraft departed page AZ enroute denver centennial (apa). The flight was being conducted under title 14 CFR, part 91. The… ## Other investigations on N425SG (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 DEN05FA126](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05FA126), Aug 14, 2005: Cessna 425 (N425SG), Lone Tree, CO, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to properly execute the published instrument approach procedure, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. 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.