Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marble, Colorado 81623
Saturday, September 22, 1990 11:10 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) WAS PROVIDING A MOUNTAIN (MTN) FLYING CHECK-OUT TO A PVT PLT. WITNESSES RPRTD THAT BEFORE THE ACFT CRASHED, IT WAS FLYING 'VERY LOW' UP THE MIDDLE OF A VALLEY TOWARD A 12,700' MTN PASS. IT THEN ENTERED A TURN & DISAPPEARED FROM THEIR VIEW BEFORE CRASHING. IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEV OF ABOUT 11,200'. THE PVT PLT WAS FATALLY INJURED; THE CFI & PASSENGER RCVD SERIOUS INJURIES. THE CFI (A 95 LB WOMAN) STATED THAT THE PVT PLT WAS BIGGER THAN HER & THAT HE KEPT OVERPOWERING HER. SHE SAID HE DID NOT FIGHT HER FOR THE CTLS, BUT WOULD NOT FOLLOW HER ADVICE TO KEEP THE NOSE DOWN TO MAINTAIN A SAFE SPEED, & THAT HE WOULD NOT FLY ON THE WINDWARD SIDE OF VALLEYS. AFTER SHE DIVERTED HER ATTENTION TO LOOK AT A MAP, SHE LOOKED UP & NOTED THEY WERE IN A VALLEY WITH RISING TERRAIN ON ALL SIDES. THE PVT PLT RELINQUISHED THE CTLS & THE CFI ATMTD TO REVERSE DIRECTION, BUT THE ACFT IMPACTED THE SIDE OF THE VALLEY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PRIVATE PILOT (STUDENT PILOT) TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED ABOVE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) AND HER DELAY IN TAKING REMEDIAL ACTION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND DIVERSION OF THE CFI'S ATTENTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/1990
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1110
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MARBLE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81623
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 9
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1155 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 150
Weather Observation Facility ID GUC
Elevation of weather observation facility 7673
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 29
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9053
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 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1702
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43836
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9643G
NTSB Number DEN90FA192
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182P
Aircraft Series Identifier 182P
Aircraft Serial Number 18263412
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Sep 10 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 2750
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name S.W. AIRCRAFT INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1585 AVIATION WAY
Aircraft Owner City COLORADO SPRING
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80916
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name S W AIRCRAFT, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1585 AVIATION WAY
Operator City COLORADO SPRING
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80916
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LUX
Departure City LEADVILLE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1015
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GUC
Destination City GUNNISON
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 26 2001 8:06AM
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 --