Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gunnison, Colorado 81230
Wednesday, April 20, 1988 13:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLT, THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB THROUGH A PASS WHICH WAS ABOVE THE EFFECTIVE SERVICE CEILING OF THE ACFT. AT APPROXIMATELY THE EFFECTIVE SERVICE CEILING OF THE ACFT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT AND POST IMPACT FIRE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/20/1988
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GUNNISON
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81230
Event Date Year 1988
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID GUC
Elevation of weather observation facility 7668
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 9300
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 688
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 20 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36660
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:40AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7979L
NTSB Number DEN88FA099
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A23-19
Aircraft Series Identifier A23-19
Aircraft Serial Number MB 160
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 Aug 31 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES A COLLEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9499 BRAYTON DRIVE #275
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99507
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COLLEY, JAMES A.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9499 BRAYTON DR. #275
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99507
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 GUC
Departure City GUNNISON
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PUB
Destination City PUEBLO
Destination State CO
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --