Telluride Regional Apt Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Telluride, Colorado 81435
Saturday, September 30, 2000 14:05 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was to perform aerobatics at an air show at a high altitude airport (density altitude 12,441 feet). He was cleared to takeoff and exit the airport traffic area (he was not cleared to perform any aerobatic maneuvers). The pilot flew down the runway at 75 to 100 feet. At midfield, he pulled his airplane up to vertical, and at 500 feet agl, the airplane began to tumble. The airplane entered a spin and impacted terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering, and the subsequent inadvertent stall/spin to the ground. A contributing factor was the high density altitude weather condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/30/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1405
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City TELLURIDE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81435
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport TELLURIDE REGIONAL APT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TEX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 9078
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 350
Weather Observation Facility ID MTJ
Elevation of weather observation facility 4858
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
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) 77
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 45
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 12441
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) 10852
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 30 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1641
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 1 2001 7:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N26KP
NTSB Number DEN00FA182
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Sukhoi
Aircraft Model SU-26MX
Aircraft Series Identifier SU-26MX
Aircraft Serial Number 03-08
Certified Max Gross Weight 1844
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 18 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 520
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KENT E. PFLEIDER
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City GRAND JUNCTION
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81505
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TEX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1405
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 Oct 17 2001 10:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 6870
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --