Telluride Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Telluride, Colorado 81435
Sunday, July 19, 1998 16:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a visual approach, while turning base leg for landing at the end of a cross-country flight, the engine lost all power and the aircraft landed in trees off the approach end of the runway of intended use. Examination of the engine provided no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction; however, it did provide evidence of an overly lean mixture in the form of white carbon like material on the spark plugs. Verification of fuel remaining at the time of the accident was not possible due to impact damage which compromised the fuel system.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Pilot operating the aircraft with an overly lean mixture. A factor was unsuitable terrain for a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/1998
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 1998
Event Date Month 7
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 110
Airport Elevation 9078
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1620 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 285
Weather Observation Facility ID TEX
Elevation of weather observation facility 9087
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 11000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 11500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 547
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 19 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1947
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2498T
NTSB Number FTW98LA320
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 Navion
Aircraft Model G
Aircraft Series Identifier G
Aircraft Serial Number NAV4-2498
Certified Max Gross Weight 3150
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 19 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 1382
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALAN G. LEWIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1496
Aircraft Owner City TELLURIDE
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81435
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 GJT
Departure City GRAND JUNCTION
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code TEX
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
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 --