- Date
- December 15, 1998, 16:38 local (23:38 UTC)
- Place
- Granby, CO
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9255BPiper PA-46-350P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 20, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19981215044299A
- Case key
- 45591
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 in-flight encounter with clear air turbulence during descent.
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 descending (15,700 feet) VMC over the Rocky Mountains when the airplane gained 500 feet in 5 to 6 seconds. The pilot said that the airplane rolled 90 degrees right, and pitched up 45 degrees. Both wings and the horizontal stabilizer of the airplane were subsequently replaced.
Factual narrative
On December 15, 1998, at 1638 mountain standard time, a Piper Malibu PA-46-350P, N9255B, sustained substantial damage during an encounter with turbulence during descent near Granby, Colorado. The airline transport rated pilot and his three passengers were not injured. The airplane was being operated by 101 Jet Aviation, Inc., of Englewood, Colorado, under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this cross-country flight which originated from Idaho Falls, Idaho, approximately 1 hour 24 minutes before the accident. An IFR flight plan had been filed.
According to the pilot, "the flight had been uneventful to that point." He said that "he felt the nose tuck a little and then wham--they hit severe/extreme turbulence." The 5 second event rolled the airplane into a 90 degree right bank, and a pitch up attitude of 45 degrees. The pilot reported that his airspeed indicator was reading 140 knots, and his altitude was 15,700 feet at the time of the event. He calculated his maneuvering speed to be approximately 120 knots.
Radar data indicated that the airplane gained 500 feet of altitude in 5 to 6 seconds. Additionally, the radar ground tract indicated that the airplane was over Corona Pass when the event happened.
Both wings and horizontal stabilizer had to be replaced.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9255B
- Reported as
- Piper PA-46-350P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4622197
- Airframe hours
- 516
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- R.M. Diversified, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 15, 1998 · 425 hours before
- Departed
- IDA · Idaho Falls, ID
- Destination
- APA · Denver, CO
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 8,200 total · 600 in this make and model · 6,200 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 20 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 36 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BJC, 25 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.