Telluride Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Telluride, Colorado 81435
Sunday, September 14, 1997 16:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After the airplane took off, various witnesses reported seeing it in a nose high attitude, at low airspeed, and with the wings 'wobbling.' One pilot-witness said the airplane stalled and spun once. The pilot had been admonished for regularly making soft-field takeoffs; that is, holding full aft control stick, lifting off in a nose high attitude, and then 'climb at a steep angle of attack.' His son, a student pilot, who was in the front seat, had previously expressed his apprehension in using this takeoff technique, especially in high density altitude conditions. At the time of the accident, the airplane was determined to be 219 pounds over the maximum certificated gross weight. Density altitude was computed to be 10,920 feet.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while climbing after takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and collision with terrain. Factors relating to the accident included: the pilot allowing the maximum gross weight limit of the airplane to be exceeded, the high density altitude, and the pilot's intentional steep climb after takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/1997
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City TELLURIDE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81435
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TELLURIDE REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TEX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 275
Airport Elevation 9078
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID TEX
Elevation of weather observation facility 9078
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 10920
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1067
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 14 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1708
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N86708
NTSB Number FTW97FA348
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bellanca
Aircraft Model 7GCBC
Aircraft Series Identifier 7GCBC
Aircraft Serial Number 653-74
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 31 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 2421
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ANDREA J. MAHONEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 223 S. STEVENS ST.
Aircraft Owner City HYANNIS
Aircraft Owner State MA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 02061
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 TEX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1615
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 27
Runway Length 6870
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --