Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elbert, Colorado 80106
Saturday, January 16, 1988 19:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH SLIGHTLY RISING TERRAIN WITH THE RT WING SLIGHTLY DOWN AND THE NOSE ATTITUDE LEVEL. FOLLOWING THE FIRST CONTACT, THE ACFT SKIPPED ABOUT 90 FT AND THE 2ND IMPACT WAS IN A MORE PRONOUNCED RT WING LOW AND NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE CANOPY WAS EJECTED AND FOUND 20 FT RT AND 30 FT FWD OF THE 2ND IMPACT POINT. THE ACFT DISINTEGRATED FROM THE 2ND IMPACT POINT ALONG A 480 FT PATH WHICH WAS 147 FT WIDE. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE STILL STRAPPED IN THEIR SEATS. THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT WAS NOT STRAPPED IN AND WAS EJECTED 110 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE ACFT WAS ENROUTE FROM RAPID CITY, SD TO COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. THE CRASH SITE WAS 3 MILES WEST OF ELBERT, CO. AT AN ELEVATION OF APPRX 7100 FT MSL. A WITNESS AT ELBERT, CO. SAID AT THE TIME OF THE ACC THE CLOUDS WERE 'ON THE GROUND' AND VISIBILITY WAS 'VERY POOR.' WX IN COLORADO SPRINGS WAS 100 OVERCAST 3/4 MILE VISIBILITY IN SNOW. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE PLT CHECKED THE WX. ACFT HEADING AT IMPACT WAS AWAY FROM A HEADING TO THE FLTS DESTINATION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/16/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ELBERT
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80106
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 1
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1900 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 195
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6172
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) -4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6500
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 147
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 820
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35681
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9937U
NTSB Number DEN88FA054
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 GULFSTREAM AMERICAN
Aircraft Model AA-5A
Aircraft Series Identifier AA-5A
Aircraft Serial Number AA-5A-0337
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Oct 22 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 47
Airframe Hours 2167
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEE W. MADDOX
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2337 THRUNHILL DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City COLORADO SPRING
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80918
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PETERSON AERO CLUB
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 14123
Operator City PETERSON AFB
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80914
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 RAP
Departure City RAPID CITY
Departure State SD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1639
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code COS
Destination City COLO. SPRINGS
Destination State CO
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 --