Bob Adams Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Steamboat Sprgs, Colorado 80477
Sunday, April 3, 1994 15:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THE TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL AND THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF AT 80 KIAS. AFTER CLIMBING ABOUT 40 FEET, THE AIRPLANE 'LOST LIFT AND LOST ALTITUDE' AND STRUCK THE RUNWAY, DAMAGING THE LANDING GEAR. THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. THE PILOT SAID 'A SUDDEN SHIFT IN WIND DIRECTION WITH A GUST OF SUFFICIENT SPEED FROM CROSSWIND TO TAILWIND CAUSED THE SUDDEN LOSS OF LIFT.' ONE WITNESS SAID IT APPEARED THE AIRPLANE WAS CLOSE TO A 'DYNAMIC STALL,' AND HE DESCRIBED IT AS 'VERY NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE...HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK...SLOW...UNSTABLE.' COMPUTATIONS INDICATE THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS AT 8,410 FEET MSL, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS NEAR ITS MAXIMUM GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT AND AFT CENTER OF GRAVITY LIMIT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN INADVERTENT STALL AFTER LIFTOFF. FACTORS WERE AN UNFAVORABLE WIND AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/3/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City STEAMBOAT SPRGS
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80477
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BOB ADAMS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SBS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6878
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1455 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SBS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6878
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 8410
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 140
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 3 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4015X
NTSB Number FTW94LA116
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AERO COMMANDER
Aircraft Model 100-180
Aircraft Series Identifier 100-180
Aircraft Serial Number 5115
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 7 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 1380
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COX, JAMES E. & PEPIN, JOHN G.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2722 SIERRA VISTA RD.
Aircraft Owner City GRAND JUNCTION
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81503
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GJT
Destination City GRAND JUNCTION
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --