- Date
- August 3, 1997, 17:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Creede, CO
- Injuries
- 4 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N179DDBeech F33A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 2, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970803048139A
- Case key
- 20304
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's intentional low altitude flight over mountainous terrain, inadequate altitude to clear surrounding obstacles, and his misjudging vertical clearance. A factor was the pilot's use of an inappropriate chart for navigation.
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 pilot said he was using a WAC (1:1,000,000) chart instead of a sectional (1:500,000) chart for navigation, and thought he was at a safe altitude for the surrounding terrain. As he approached a saddle on a mountain ridge near the Continental Divide (which he thought was 11,500 feet MSL), he realized he was well below the summit. Surrounding terrain prevented him from turning around, so he applied full power in an attempt to climb above the summit. The airplane struck a rock ledge, skidded, and came to rest inverted against an embankment at the 12,200 foot level.
Factual narrative
On August 3, 1997, approximately 1715 mountain daylight time, a Beech F33A, N179DD, was destroyed when it collided with terrain 9 miles northwest of Creede, Colorado. The commercial pilot and three passengers were seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight was filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Grand Junction, Colorado, approximately 1630.
The following is based on a telephone interview with the pilot the day after the accident, and his written accident report. The pilot said he obtained a weather briefing but did not file a flight plan for the proposed flight to Angel Fire, New Mexico. He departed Grand Junction and flew east until he was just south of Gunnison, Colorado, then he turned onto a more southerly course. He said he was using a WAC chart (World Aeronautical Chart, 1:1,000,000) instead of a sectional chart (1:500,000) for navigation, and he thought he was at a safe altitude for the surrounding terrain. As he approached a saddle in a mountain ridge near the Continental Divide (which he thought was 11,500 feet MSL), he realized he was well below the summit. Surrounding terrain prevented him from turning around, so he applied full power in an attempt to climb above the summit. The airplane struck a rock ledge, skidded, and came to rest inverted against an embankment at the 12,200 foot level.
Campers near the San Luis Peak in the La Garita Wilderness Area witnessed the accident. While one camper went for help, the others assisted in removing the occupants, building a shelter, and administering first aid. Rescuers arrived on the scene approximately 0430 on August 4, and evacuated the victims to the hospital later that afternoon.
The accident location was at the intersection of Mineral and East Mineral (dry) Creeks.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N179DD
- Reported as
- Beech F33A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CE-743
- Airframe hours
- 4,916
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA12B, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bellair, L.L.C.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 6, 1996 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- GJT · Grand Junction, CO
- Destination
- AXX · Angel Fire, NM
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,089 total · 117 in this make and model · 1,913 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GUC, 33 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.
Other investigations on N179DD · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.