Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Maybell, Colorado 81640
Saturday, May 8, 1999 15:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he was attempting to signal his friends on the ground. He reported that as he 'turned from east to south, it suddenly got very quiet, and the airspeed went to nothing.' He further reported that the airplane became 'very sluggish and mushy to handle, and he could hear the ailerons banging stop to stop.' The pilot said that the stall horn came on and he pushed the airplane's nose down to gain airspeed. The airplane impacted a plowed field, crushing the nose wheel landing gear aft, and coming to rest in an inverted position. The pilot reported that the wind was approximately 250 degrees at 10 knots with gusts estimated 25 to 30 knots. The density altitude was calculated to be 8,600 feet msl.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent stall while maneuvering. Factors were the wind gusts weather conditions, and the high density altitude weather conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/8/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1500
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MAYBELL
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81640
Event Date Year 1999
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1500 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID CAG
Elevation of weather observation facility 6193
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 37
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 23
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 8600
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 799
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 9 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 15
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:33AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6128K
NTSB Number DEN99LA076
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 1507737
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 Mar 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 2900
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT W. GOTCHEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 15945 DELTA COURT
Aircraft Owner City BRIGHTON
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80601
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1320
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 Maneuvering
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 --