Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Castle Rock, Colorado 80104
Friday, June 21, 1996 14:48 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While on a VFR crosscountry flight, the pilot flew into IFR conditions and an area of severe weather after Air Traffic Control had advised him of adverse weather. The airplane was equipped with digital color weather radar, and at one point, the pilot stated to the controller that he saw the weather on his radar. After entering the weather, the pilot attempted to reverse course. The airplane impacted the ground shortly after the pilot reversed course. The pilot was IFR qualified, but had only recorded 11 hours of actual instrument time.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude and/or clearance from terrain, while reversing course to exit adverse weather conditions. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions (thunderstorm, low ceiling and reduced visibility), the pilot's inaccurate weather evaluation, and his inadvertent flight into known adverse weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/21/1996
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1448
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CASTLE ROCK
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80104
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1507 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID USA
Elevation of weather observation facility 6800
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 24
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 27
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8400
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1582
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 21 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:03AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N94ZR
NTSB Number FTW96FA267
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Beech
Aircraft Model 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH-1709
Certified Max Gross Weight 5400
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 7 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 259
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ZUNI RENTAL
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2401 MENAUL BLVD N. E.
Aircraft Owner City ALBUQUERQUE
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87107
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JERRY B. LOSEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2401 MENAUL BLVD, N.E.
Operator City ALBUQUERQUE
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 87107
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 ABQ
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 1302
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City ENGLEWOOD
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --