Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Garfield, Colorado 81227
Sunday, July 15, 1990 10:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE 1/2 MILE AWAY FROM MONARCH PASS, FLYING TOWARD THE PASS. THEY SAID IT PASSED UNDER HIGH VALTAGE POWER LINES THAT WERE ACROSS THE VALLEY, FLYING JUST ABOVE THE TREES. IT STARTED A NOSE HIGH RIGHT TURN. THEN ABRUPTLY TURNED LEFT, AND DROPPED NOSE DOWN TOWARD THE TREES. IT IMPACTED AT 10,800 FEET MSL. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED AT 13,200 FEET. MONARCH PASS IS 11,312 FEET MSL. THE GROSS WEIGHT AND THE CG WERE WITHIN LIMITS. NO PRE-IMPACT PROBLEMS COULD BE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO THE MOUNTAIN PASS AND THE SUBSEQUENT INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE GROUND CLEARANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/15/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1005
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City GARFIELD
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81227
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
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 1000 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6172
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 70
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
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) 13200
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 601
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 15 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1345
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41563
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:09PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8102C
NTSB Number FTW90FA141
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-806100
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 4804
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name NEVMANN, RORY O & DESIREE L
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4436 JAN DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City CARMICHAEL,
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95608
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RUSSELL I. ERICKSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7275 E. SOUTHGATE #10
Operator City SACRAMENTO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95823
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 COS
Departure City COLORADO SPRING
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 906
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SAC
Destination City SACRAMENTO
Destination State CA
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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --