Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leadville, Colorado 80461
Friday, April 27, 1990 11:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT RENTED N8912N TO TRANSPORT FIVE PASSENGERS TO COLORADO FOR A SINGING COMPETITION. THE PASSENGERS HAD NOT MADE ALTERNATE TRAVEL PLANS. THE PLT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING, WHICH INDICATED LOW CLOUD CEILINGS, MODERATE TURBULENCE AND ICING ALONG HIS PLANNED ROUTE. HE FILED 10,500 FT AS HIS CRUISING ALT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A 13,700 FT HIGH MOUNTAIN AT ABOUT THE 12,000 FT LEVEL. WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS IFR. THE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, HIS PERCEIVED PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT, AND HIS LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LEADVILLE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80461
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 4
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID LXV
Elevation of weather observation facility 10000
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 6
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 6
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 778
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1452
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41816
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:53PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8912N
NTSB Number DEN90FA103
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32C-300
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32C-300
Aircraft Serial Number 32-40701
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 2 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 5101
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILSON G. HENDERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 E. 6TH NORTH
Aircraft Owner City PRICE
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84501
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 No
Departure Airport Code SLC
Departure City SALT LAKE CITY
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 932
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code COS
Destination City COLORADO SPRING
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --