Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yoder, Colorado 80864
Saturday, September 12, 1998 9:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was giving a 15 minute free orientation ride to an Experimental Aircraft Association, Young Eagle, when the airplane experienced a loss of power. During the forced landing to an open field, the airplane inadvertently stalled and impacted the terrain nose low. Postimpact examination of the airplane found no evidence of fuel or the smell of fuel. No preimpact engine or airframe anomalies, which might have affected the airplane's performance, were identified. Toxicology tests on the pilot revealed multiple over-the-counter and prescribed drugs. NTSB's Medical Officer, stated that in addition to possible adverse effects of the medications, distraction or sensory disturbance as a result of the condition for which the drugs were ingested may have also played a role in the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's loss of aircraft control due to not maintaining adequate airspeed and the subsequent inadvertent stall. Factors were the pilot's inadequate preflight and the engine's power failure due to fuel exhaustion.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/12/1998
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City YODER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80864
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 9
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1045 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 245
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6184
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
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) 8479
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) 1543
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 12 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:55PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6288L
NTSB Number FTW98FA394
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 Grumman American
Aircraft Model AA-1B
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-1B
Aircraft Serial Number AA1B-0088
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Sep 2 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 3973
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN F. CRATER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 470 WEMBLEY CT.
Aircraft Owner City CO SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80906
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 00V
Departure City MEADOW LAKE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 23 2001 1:55PM
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 --