# NTSB FTW93LA231: Cessna 172RG, N9633B, Salida, CO, August 6, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 6, 1993, 13:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Salida, CO - Coordinates: 38.529243, -105.999374 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5292&lon=-105.9994&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 3 serious - Status: Completed, report August 1, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18809 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW93LA231 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18809/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW93LA231 ## Probable cause THE CLIMB CAPABILITY OF THE AIRPLANE BEING EXCEEDED AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO TURN INTO THE RISING TERRAIN. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, maneuvering - object - tree(s) - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - aircraft performance,climb capability - exceeded (cause) - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FLIGHT WAS ROUTINE UP TO THE POINT THAT HE DECIDED TO EXECUTE A 360 DEGREE CLIMBING TURN IN ORDER TO GAIN MORE ALTITUDE TO CLEAR A MOUNTAIN PASS AT 10,500 FEET. HE SAID HE STARTED THE RIGHT TURN TO CLIMB AND THAT WAS THE LAST HE REMEMBERED. WITNESSES SAW THE AIRPLANE TURN RIGHT INTO RISING TERRAIN AND TREES. THEY THEN HEARD THE AIRPLANE IMPACT THE TREES AND THE GROUND. THE PILOT AND THE WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE OPERATING NORMALLY. THE TEMPERATURE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE ELEVATION WAS 65 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 14,300 FEET. A LEFT TURN WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE AIRPLANE TOWARD DESCENDING TERRAIN. ## Factual narrative On August 6, 1993, at approximately 1300 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172RG, N9633B, was destroyed when it collided with trees and the terrain while maneuvering in a mountain pass near Salida, Colorado. The airplane, owned and operated by the private pilot, was on a personal cross country flight. There was no flight plan filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area. The pilot and the two passengers received serious injuries. The flight had departed Garden City, Kansas, at about 1030 central daylight time, en route to a planned fuel stop in Gunnison, Colorado. The pilot stated that the flight was routine as he entered the pass west of Pueblo, Colorado, and began climbing as he followed the highway. He said that the climb continued to about 10,500 feet MSL, at which point he had Monarch Pass in sight on the horizon. The pilot stated that he then decided to make a right 360 degree turn to gain additional altitude. Ground witnesses, working at a ski resort located under the airplane's flight path, stated they observed the airplane enter a right turn into rising terrain and trees. They subsequently heard the airplane impact trees and then the ground and proceeded to the crash site to offer assistance. The witnesses, as well as the pilot stated that the engine sounded normal and appeared to be developing power. Neither the pilot nor either of the passengers recalled any of the accident sequence after the pilot started the turn. The ski resort's weather station, located at the 10,850 foot level recorded the temperature as being 65 degrees fahrenheit at 1245 MDT. The density altitude would have been 14,300 feet MSL. The reported service ceiling for the airplane was 16,800 feet. Maps of the accident site indicated that a left turn would have taken the airplane toward descending terrain. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9633B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9633B-1994-03-03), registration cancelled 1994-03-03, S/N 172RG0931 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172RG - Registry model: [Cessna 172RG](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172rg) (registry code 2072438) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 172RG0931 - Airframe hours: 3875 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360-F1A6 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Bourne, Craig T. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 12, 1993, 40 hours before - Departed: GCK, GARDEN CITY, KS - Destination: GUC, GUNNISON, CO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 848 total, 492 in this make and model, 806 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 10 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F ## 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 19930806028049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19930806028049A), Aug 6, 1993: Cessna 172RG, Salida, CO, Destroyed. Turned wrong way flying up a canyon to obtain more altitude to clear pass. Struck trees rising terrain. 14000MSL. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.