# NTSB FTW97FA042: Piper Aerostar 601P, N251B, Eagle, CO, November 17, 1996 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: November 17, 1996, 15:05 local (22:05 UTC) - Place: Eagle, CO - Coordinates: 39.649387, -106.820518 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6494&lon=-106.8205&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 5 fatal - Status: Completed, report February 2, 1998 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 20013 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW97FA042 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/20013/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW97FA042 ## Probable cause The pilot initiating flight into known adverse weather conditions without proper certification. Factors were the meteorological conditions that existed --- low ceiling, low visibility, and falling snow --- and his use of contraindicated drugs. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, takeoff - initial climb - flight into known adverse weather - intentional, pilot in command (cause) - lack of certification, pilot in command (cause) - other psychological condition, pilot in command (contributing factor) - impairment(drugs), pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor) - weather condition - snow (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering ## Analysis The noninstrument-rated pilot filed an IFR flight plan, but did not request nor was given a weather briefing. Shortly after taking off into low instrument meteorological conditions, he reported he was returning to the airport, but did not give a reason why. He never declared an emergency. The last transmission was when the pilot said he had 'the problem resolved,' and was continuing on to his destination. Various witnesses said the engines were 'revvying' and 'unsynchronized,' and that the propellers were being 'cycled.' One witness said brownish-black smoke trailed from the right engine. The airplane struck one ridge, then catapulted approximately 1,000 feet before striking another ridge. There was postimpact fire. Both propellers bore high rotational damage. Disassembly of the engines, propellers, turbochargers, and various components failed to disclose what may have prompted the pilot to want to return to the airport. Internal components of the right engine, however, were black and, according to a Textron Lycoming representative, were indicative of 'an excessively rich mixture.' A psychiatrist had recently treated the pilot for depression, attention deficit and bipolar disorders. The pilot also had a history of alcohol and drug abuse. Postmortem toxicology protocol disclose the presence of Fluoxetine (an antidepressant), Norfluoxetine (its metabolite), and Hydrocodone (the most commonly prescribed opiate). ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 17, 1996, at 1505 mountain standard time, a Piper Aerostar 601P, N251B, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while maneuvering near Eagle, Colorado. The private, non-instrument rated pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 91. The flight originated from Eagle, Colorado, at 1455. According to the Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), a man who identified himself as the pilot of N251B telephoned the facility at 1418 and filed an IFR flight plan. He indicated the airplane was "/R" [RNAV (area navigation) and transponder equipped, with altitude encoding capability]. True airspeed was given as 220 knots, and he proposed to depart at 2145Z (1445 mst). Initial cruising altitude was to be 17,000 feet. The route of flight from EGE (Eagle, Colorado), direct RLG (Kremmling, Colorado), direct BJC (Jefferson County Airport, Broomfield, Colorado), direct SNY (Sidney, Nebraska), direct ONL (O'Neill, Nebraska), direct FSD (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), direct FCM (Flying Cloud Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota). The pilot estimated his time en route would be 3 hours, 15 minutes, and listed 5 hours of fuel on board. [According to Vail/Beaver Creek Jet Center, Inc., the airplane was serviced with 146.7 gallons of 100/130 octane aviation grade fuel on November 17. This filled all tanks to capacity. According to the Piper Aerostar 601P PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, total fuel capacity is 173.5 gallons, of which 165.5 gallons are useable.] The pilot did not request, nor was he given, a weather briefing. Denver AFSS said they had no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing prior to or after this contact. The captain and first officer of a corporate jet, who had planned to depart Eagle, off-loaded their passengers because weather conditions were below Part 135 takeoff minimums. They saw the pilot of N251B preparing to depart, and they engaged in a conversation with him. He told the captain he was "confident he was going to be okay because he had his hand held GPS (Global Positioning System) and was from that area and he could tell where he was by feel." The first officer said he tried to discourage the pilot from departing, "but he was committed." As they were returning to their hotel, the corporate jet crew observed the Aerostar fly overhead. The captain said the airplane seemed to be over Interstate Highway 70, westbound, in a right turn and climbing over the mountains. The first officer said the airplane was "apparently attempting to return to the airport." According to the transcript of radio communications, the pilot was cleared to taxi to runway 07 at 1446. At 1448, the pilot was issued his IFR clearance "to the Kremmling Vortac (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range-Tactical Air Navigation), no delay expected, via the published IFR departure procedure. Climb and maintain one four thousand (feet), and expect your filed altitude (at) one zero minutes after departure. Squawk zero six two seven. Contact Denver (air route traffic control) center (on frequency) one two eight point six five leaving one zero thousand feet." The pilot was cleared for takeoff at 1453. The tower controller said that as the airplane was making its takeoff roll, he glanced down at his weather monitor and noted the meteorology report. It is included in this report under "Meteorological Information." At 1458, the pilot called the control tower and said he was "coming back in for runway two five." The controller said he would turn the strobe and runway lights up to full brightness. When he had done so, the controller asked the pilot if he had the airport in sight. He said he did not. At 1459, the controller asked the pilot if he "needed any assistance." The pilot said no, and he never declared an emergency. The controller asked the pilot for his position. The pilot replied, "Well, we're currently over the east end of the field. I think we're getting the problem resolved. Hang on a minute." At 1501 the pilot reported, "Five One Bravo's okay, we've got the problem resolved. Thanks." At 1505 the controller asked the pilot for his position. There was no reply to this or subsequent radio transmissions. There were several witnesses who reported seeing or hearing a multiengine airplane, but only six submitted written statements. Witness 1 was at the west end of town when he heard a small twin engine aircraft. He said the engines "sounded good." The airplane was about 200 feet high, flying in an easterly direction, then it turned and headed west just (south) of the town. A few minutes later the airplane returned, heading east. The witness said he heard "the props being cycled...I thought he was icing up." The witness said the airplane then came back, heading west, then it turned north: "All the time he was cycling the props. I knew he was icing and trying to sling the ice off." Witness 2 said she heard a twin engine airplane flying eastbound and the engines were "working (laboring) hard, trying to turn south." The sounds eventually diminished towards the west. Witness 3, a supervisor with the Eagle County Sheriff's Office, heard "a very loud, sputtering engine roar," then she saw a small twin engine airplane come over condominium rooftops from the south. She said the right engine was trailing a steady stream of brownish-black smoke. The airplane "banked sharply west, dropping in altitude," then "it sharply turned south" towards Brush Creek. While she was in one of the condominiums, she heard the airplane pass overhead again. When she went outside, the airplane was making a third pass about 500 feet. This time she did not see smoke and the engine "seemed to be running smoother, but weak sounding." The airplane turned west, then south. The last time she saw the airplane, it was flying in an easterly direction about 1,000 feet, and it "sounded weak." Witness 4, located southeast of town, heard "the unsynchronized sound of airplane engines revving up and down." He said the airplane was headed in an easterly direction about 1,000 feet. Soon, it came back heading west. Shortly thereafter, it came back heading east again. The engines were "still not sounding good. He last saw the airplane heading in a southwesterly direction, "the engines sounded better" and the airplane "was still very low." Witness 5 was in her home just east of the airport when she heard a departing airplane traveling east. There was "a loud pop, bang" that rattled the windows, then she heard "a high pitched whining noise for about a minute, then seemed to sound normal." About 5 minutes later she heard the airplane return, heading west. She said it sounded like the airplane circled her house, then headed east. Witness 6, a pilot, was standing outside his home in Vail, about 35 miles west of Eagle. He heard (but did not see) a low flying airplane. He said the engines "sounded good." The weather was "very bad...it was snowing moderately," the ceiling "was no more than about 500-400 feet agl (above ground level)," and "the clouds seemed to engulf us." According to the Eagle County Sheriff's report (96-8447), an off duty deputy reported seeing "a twin engine aircraft flying (eastbound) at about 500 feet. It sounded like it was having engine problems." He said the engine(s) were "revving very high" and then would "sputter." The airplane made "a high banking turn" to the north and lost altitude as it turned. Shortly thereafter, the airplane reappeared from the west, traveling east, approximately 1,000 feet and "it appeared there were no problems." At 1508, another off duty sheriff's deputy reported seeing an airplane go behind a ridge in the Bellyache area and did not reappear ## Aircraft - Registration: [N251B](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N251B-1998-09-28), registration cancelled 1998-09-28, S/N 61P08128063422 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper AEROSTAR 601P (AEROSTAR 6) - Registry model: [Piper AEROSTAR 601P](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-aerostar-601p) (registry code 7106012) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 61P-8063422 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 290 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: David S. Ladow - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 25, 1996 - Departed: EGE, CO - Destination: FCM, MINNEAPOLIS, MN - Flight plan: IFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 752 total, 16 in this make and model, 725 as pilot in command, 193 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Visibility: 1 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 400 ft overcast - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: EGE, 6 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19961117035839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961117035839A), Nov 17, 1996: Piper PA60601P, Eagle, CO, Destroyed, 5 fatal. Pilot reported problem, requested to return. Advised ok, continued on. Never heard from again. Witness saw crash. 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.