- Date
- September 17, 1984, 16:55 local (22:55 UTC)
- Place
- Aspen, CO
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N78680Cessna 172K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840917052749A
- Case key
- 16240
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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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
After takeoff from a valley airstrip in mountainous terrain, plt elected to climb out straight ahead toward rising terrain instead of circling to gain altitude first (normal procedure). Approaching mountain pass, acft was observed climbing below level of the highway. No attempt to reverse course noted. Acft mushed into terrain. Plt cited adverse winds at the pass. Investigation showed density altitude was 14664 ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N78680
- Reported as
- Cessna 172K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-57717
- Airframe hours
- 2,803
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1LD, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Mountain View Airmotive
- Registered owner
- James A. Lembo
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 4, 1984 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- ASE · Aspen, CO
- Destination
- Alamosa, CO
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,986 total · 39 in this make and model · 4,869 as pilot in command · 210 in the last 90 days · 70 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ASE, 13 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.