Stevens Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pagosa Springs, Colorado 81147
Friday, August 28, 1992 21:58 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 01 ON A DARK CLEAR NIGHT WITH NO MOON. A WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE MADE AN IMMEDIATE SHARP LEFT BANK, THEN AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT BANK, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER LEFT BANK AND AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT BANK. HE THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE RUNWAY CLEAR ZONE APPROXIMATELY 0.5 MILES BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. NO AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT DISCREPANCIES WERE DISCOVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT EXPERIENCING SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S TOTAL LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE AND DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/28/1992
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 2158
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City PAGOSA SPRINGS
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81147
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STEVENS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2V1
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 10
Airport Elevation 7700
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2147 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID FMN
Elevation of weather observation facility 6685
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 75
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8301
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2904
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47750
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7032E
NTSB Number DEN92FA088
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 175A
Aircraft Series Identifier 175A
Aircraft Serial Number 56532
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 14 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 4993
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SKYLARKERS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2901 LA HAMBRA
Aircraft Owner City FARMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 87401
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SKYLARKERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2901 LA HAMBRA
Operator City FARMINGTON
Operator State NM
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 87401
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 2V1
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2158
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FMN
Destination City FARMINGTON
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 1
Runway Length 6500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --