Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Silt, Colorado 81650
Thursday, May 9, 1991 13:50 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CONDUCTING A 6 MILE FLIGHT FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP TO A COUNTY AIRPORT, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED IN FLIGHT WINDS WHICH EXCEEDED THE PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT ALTITUDE CONTROL WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN UNCONTROLLED FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WIND CONDITIONS WHICH EXCEEDED THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY. A FACTOR WAS: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN AVAILABLE EN ROUTE WEATHER INFORMATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/9/1991
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1350
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SILT
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81650
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 5
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 Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID RIL
Elevation of weather observation facility 5548
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 45
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7700
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 210
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43293
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N425DE
NTSB Number DEN91LA069
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 CHALLENGER
Aircraft Model II
Aircraft Series Identifier II
Aircraft Serial Number CH20589R
Certified Max Gross Weight 800
Aircraft Category Ultralight
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EPPEEPPERLY, DONALD A.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4659 311RD BOX 846
Aircraft Owner City SILT
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81652
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EPPEEPPERLY, DONALD A.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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
Departure City SILT
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1315
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RIL
Destination City RIFLE
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --