Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Georgetown, Colorado 80444
Friday, August 12, 1988 9:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

N9545H, REGISTERED TO THE STATE OF COLORADO, CIVIL AIR PATROL, WAS DISPATCHED ON A SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSION IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA NEAR GEORGETOWN, COLORADO. THE PLT ENCOUNTERED UNFAVORABLE WINDS WHILE FLYING IN THE SEARCH AREA. THE PAX SAID THAT HE COULD FEEL THE ACFT SETTLING JUST BEFORE THE ACFT STRUCK SOME TREES ON THE LEFT SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGE. A PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE PLT SAID, 'I DON'T LIKE THE FEEL OF THIS'. A PARAMEDIC SAID THE PASSENGER ALSO RELATED THAT THEY HAD 'HIT A DOWNDRAFT'. A HELICOPTER PLT FLYING IN THE AREA SAID THAT THE WINDS WERE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR FIXED WING FLTS, ESPECIALLY IN THE TRENCHES. THE BROKEN TREES INDICATED A DESCENT ANGLE OF 45 DEGREES. THE DISTANCE FROM 1ST TREE STRIKE TO THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS 62 FT. THE ACFT CAME TO REST ON ITS NOSE. THE TERRAIN ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 10600 FT MSL.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/12/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GEORGETOWN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80444
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 8
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 14500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Overcast
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 13000
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) 1523
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 12 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37676
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9545H
NTSB Number DEN88GA185
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182R
Aircraft Series Identifier 182R
Aircraft Serial Number 18267962
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Jul 13 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 62
Airframe Hours 1027
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name STATE OF COLORADO
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX DRAWER C, BLDG 407
Aircraft Owner City LOWRY AFB
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80230
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name STATE OF COLORADO
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address DRAWER C, LOWRY AFB
Operator City DENVER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80230
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) Public Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code APA
Departure City ENGLEWOOD,
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 815
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --