Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairplay, Colorado 80432
Friday, July 24, 1992 7:23 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO GIVE THE PILOT A MOUNTAIN FLYING CHECKOUT. A PILOT RATED PASSENGER WAS IN THE BACK SEAT OBSERVING. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND INDICATED HE WANTED TO SHOW BOTH PILOTS A CAMP SITE WHERE HE HAD CAMPED SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE. THE INSTRUCTOR FLEW UP A MOUNTAINOUS VALLEY WHILE THE PILOT OPERATED A VIDEO CAMERA. THE PASSENGER SAID THEY WERE FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE AND BELOW RIDGES RISING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE AIRPLANE. EXAMINATION OF THE VIDEO TAPE CORROBORATED STATEMENTS MADE BY THE PILOT AND PASSENGER, AND DEPICTED THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO AND INCLUDING THE IMPACT. COMPUTED DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,245 FEET MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S OPERATION AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR OBSTACLES IN RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, DIVERSION OF THE INSTRUCTOR'S ATTENTION, AND THE RISING TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 723
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City FAIRPLAY
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80432
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 12245
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2903
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1100
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47749
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4963R
NTSB Number DEN92FA077
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172RG
Aircraft Series Identifier 172RG
Aircraft Serial Number 172RG0037
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 30 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 6881
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TECHNICAL TRADES INSTITUTE,INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2315 EAST PIKES PEAK
Aircraft Owner City COLORADO SPRING
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80909
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EMERY AVIATION COLLEGE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1360 AVIATION WAY
Operator City COLORADO SPRING
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80916
Operator Code EK8S
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code COS
Departure City COLORADO SPRING
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
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 Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --