Rawlins Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rawlins, Wyoming 82301
Friday, July 27, 1990 14:13 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT OF THE LAKE AMPHIBIAN TOOK OFF AND TURNED TOWARD RISING TERRAIN, WHERE HE ANTICIPATED FINDING SLOPE LIFT, DUE TO THE PREVAILING WINDS. HE STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED SINK INSTEAD, AND HE HAD UNSUFFICIENT TERRAIN CLEARANCE TO MAKE A COURSE REVERSAL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 9070 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION, AND HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF THE AIRCRAFT'S CLIMB CAPABILITY IN CONDITIONS OF HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND UNANTICIPATED ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND RISING TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1413
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RAWLINS
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82301
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 RAWLINS MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RWL
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 6813
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1430 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID RWL
Elevation of weather observation facility 6813
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9070
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 484
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 27 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1313
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 41418
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14004
NTSB Number SEA90LA147
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name LAKE
Aircraft Model LA-250
Aircraft Series Identifier LA-250
Aircraft Serial Number 008
Certified Max Gross Weight 3140
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LAKE AIRCRAFT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 500 W. PERIMETER RD.
Aircraft Owner City RENTON
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98055
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 06
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code S87
Destination City WEISER
Destination State ID
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 22
Runway Length 7008
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --