Crawford Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Crawford, Colorado 81415
Wednesday, July 19, 1995 13:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on a cross country flight, after having been en route approximately 5 hours and 40 minutes, the airplane was observed circling a small private airport. The airport was about 130 miles north of the planned route of flight. Witnesses initially observed the airplane circle the airport in an erratic manner at an altitude of 300 to 500 feet. At an altitude of 200 feet above the airport, the airplane rolled left to a bank angle of nearly 90 degrees and descended rapidly to the ground at a fuselage angle of 45 degrees. Investigation revealed the pilot suffered from Parkinson's disease and had an FAA medical certificate with restrictions pertaining to the manifestations of that disease. The investigation also revealed the pilot had severe coronary disease, and possibly temporal lobe, partial, complex psychomotor seizures. No evidence was found of a preimpact aircraft failure or malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

pilot incapacitation due to preexisting medical condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/1995
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CRAWFORD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81415
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CRAWFORD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 99V
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 8680
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1354 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID MTJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5759
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8100
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1925
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 19 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1415
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N700CF
NTSB Number FTW95FA306
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20J
Aircraft Series Identifier M20J
Aircraft Serial Number 24-3342
Certified Max Gross Weight 2740
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 12 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 71
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CARLTON L. FRENCH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 31131 ALMARA LANE
Aircraft Owner City LAGUNA NIGUEL
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92677
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 No
Departure Airport Code L86
Departure City MURRIETA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHN
Destination City PORT HURON
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 25
Runway Length 5100
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --