# NTSB DEN75AD018: Bellanca 14-19, N8538R, Vail, CO, October 4, 1974

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: October 4, 1974
- Place: Vail, CO · VAIL, CO
- Location: 39.6378° N, 106.3625° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Vail, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6378&lon=-106.3625&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report November 6, 1974
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 132457
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN75AD018
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN75AD018

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3188   74/10/4 NR.VAIL,COLO          BELLANCA 14-19      CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 42, 300
        TIME - UNK/NR                  N8538R              PX-  0  0  0  BUSINESS                  TOTAL HOURS, 130 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          GLENWOOD SPRGS,COLO         BROOMFIELD,COLO
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - ATTEMPTED OPERATION BEYOND EXPERIENCE/ABILITY LEVEL
           PILOT IN COMMAND - BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - TURBULENCE, ASSOCIATED W/CLOUDS AND/OR THUNDERSTORMS
           WEATHER - ICING CONDITIONS-INCLUDES SLEET,FREEZING RAIN,ETC.
           TERRAIN - HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        MISSING AIRCRAFT - LATER RECOVERED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OBSCURATION                                              UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          ZERO                                                     UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED                                     IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- ACFT CRASHED AT 12300FT.MTS OBSCRD BY CLOUDS.RECOVERY DATE 10/6/74.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8538R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8538R-1974-12-17), registration cancelled 1974-12-17, S/N 4300 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELLANCA 14-19
- Registry model: [Bellanca 14-19-3A](https://openairdocs.org/model/bellanca-14-19-3a) (registry code 1250013) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## 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 19741004036839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19741004036839A), Oct 4, 1974: Blanca 14193A, Vail, CO, Destroyed. Acft crashed at 12300FT.mts obscrd by clouds. Recovery date 10/6/74.

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.

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