Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Woody Creek, Colorado 81656
Saturday, October 24, 1992 10:31 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A PASSENGER SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT MADE A RIGHT TURN AND ENTERED A CANYON. HE THEN NOTICED THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 10,800 FEET AND CLIMBING, BUT THE TREES WERE GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TREES, IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND CAME TO REST IN A CREEK BED. PERSONAL FLIGHT PLANNING PAPERS RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE INDICATED THE PILOT PLANNED TO FLY TO GRANBY, COLORADO, VIA PILOTAGE. THE PILOT HAD LIVED IN THE AREA FOR ONE MONTH AND HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED A MOUNTAIN FLYING CHECK OUT. THIS WAS HER FIRST CROSS COUNTRY MOUNTAIN FLYING EXPERIENCE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF AIRFRAME OF POWERPLANT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,443 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AIRCRAFT CLIMB PERFORMANCE EXCEEDED. FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN MOUNTAIN FLYING, AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/24/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1031
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City WOODY CREEK
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81656
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 10
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1045 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 249
Weather Observation Facility ID ASE
Elevation of weather observation facility 7815
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8557
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) 571
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 24 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1700
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47969
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N63016
NTSB Number DEN93FA008
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 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier 172P
Aircraft Serial Number 17275376
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 19 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 4745
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ASPEN BASE OPERATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 198 W. AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ASPEN
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81611
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ASPEN BASE OPERATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 198 W. AIRPORT ROAD
Operator City ASPEN
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 81611
Operator Code SPNA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 ASE
Departure City ASPEN
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1021
Departure Time Zone MST
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 10:35AM
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 --