- Date
- January 1, 2007, 15:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Walden, CO
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N821GSPiper PA-34-200T
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 26, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Denver, Colorado FSDO
- Case key
- 65122
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 experiencing lateral flight control stiffness for undetermined reasons and the pilot's intentional wheels up landing. Factors were the snow covered and rough/uneven terrain.
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
The airplane was in cruise flight at 12,500 feet. The pilot told his wife that he was disengaging the autopilot to maneuver over the mountains. He then pressed the trim-disengage button on the control yoke. Shortly after, the airplane began rolling uncontrollably to the left and right. The pilot steadied the airplane with the rudder. He then began a 1/2 standard rate left turn. When he went to roll the airplane right, he said that the flight controls were difficult to manipulate. He attempted additional turns and found the problem continued. The pilot changed airspeed and found the problem increased with reduced airspeed. After that, he declared an emergency with air traffic control, began a descent, and proceeded to the nearest airport. The pilot said he was unable to locate the airport so he elected to perform a wheels up landing on a snow-covered field. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the inboard left wing and the bottom left side of the forward fuselage. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that could explain the stiff controls.
Factual narrative
The airplane was in cruise flight at 12,500 feet. The pilot disengaged the autopilot to maneuver over the mountains. He then pressed the trim-disengage button on the control yoke and shortly afterward, the airplane began rolling to the left and right. The pilot steadied the airplane with the rudder. He then began a 1/2 standard rate left turn. When he went to roll the airplane right, he said that the flight controls were difficult to manipulate. He attempted additional turns and found the that problem continued. The pilot changed airspeed and found the problem increased with reduced airspeed. After that, he declared an emergency with air traffic control, began a descent, and proceeded to the nearest airport. The pilot said he was unable to locate the airport so he elected to perform a wheels up landing on a snow-covered field. During the landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the inboard left wing and the bottom left side of the forward fuselage. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies that could explain the stiff controls.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N821GS
- Reported as
- Piper PA-34-200T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34-7770419
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-360, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Teton Leasing, LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- GXY · Greeley, CO
- Destination
- RKS · Rock Springs, WY
- Flight plan
- VFR
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.
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 14 °F, dew point 7 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- LAR