- Date
- April 8, 1989, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Crested Butte, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N8562XCessna P172D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 10, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890408006949A
- Case key
- 17694
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 selected a runway with unsuitable conditions for taking off. The unfavorable wind and terrain conditions were related factors.
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 plt & a friend flew to another arpt in the local area. After arriving at that arpt, the plt checked the wind sock & elected to land on rwy 11. Drg the landing, the acft enctrd snow on the rwy that was deeper than expected. Due to the slope of the rwy, the plt elected to take off in the opposite direction (downhill) with a slight tailwind. The acft became airborne, but would only climb about 5 ft. subsequently, it hit a 6 ft snow bank & nosed over. The plt stated that he thought the acdnt occurred due to wind gusts from behind & the acft hitting drifts that slowed it down.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8562X
- Reported as
- Cessna P172D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- P17257162
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4N, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Clemons, Kopf
- Departed
- GWS
- Destination
- GWS
- Airport
- 3V6 · Crested Butte, runway 11, 4,500 × 50 ft, asphalt
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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 190 total · 130 in this make and model · 150 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.