Pitkin County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aspen, Colorado 81611
Sunday, April 9, 1989 16:36 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS RETURNING TO ASPEN AFTER A FLT OF APRX 1.5 HRS. HE HAD RADIOED THE CONTROL TWR WHILE ON BASE LEG TO RWY 33 AND REPORTED THE ENGINE HAD FAILED. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO GLIDE TO THE RWY BUT CRASHED ABOUT 1 MILE SOUTHEAST. A POST CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRPLANE. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATIONALLY TESTED AND FOUND TO BE CAPABLE OF NORMAL OPERATION. THE WIND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS BLOWING FROM THE NORTHWEST AT 20 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 30 KTS. WITNESSES NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE 'STALLED OUT' AT A LOW ALTITUDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE ENGINE FALURE DUE TO UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE WIND CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN THE ATTEMPT TO GLIDE TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT ALSO FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE GLIDE WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/9/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1636
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ASPEN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81611
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PITKIN COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ASE
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 7815
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1637 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 315
Weather Observation Facility ID ASE
Elevation of weather observation facility 1815
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 906
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 9 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39021
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6812R
NTSB Number DEN89FA104
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T210F
Aircraft Series Identifier T210F
Aircraft Serial Number T210-0212
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
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 --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RODNEY KIRK
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 2838
Aircraft Owner City ASPEN
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81612
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KIRK, RODNEY
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O.BOX 2838
Operator City ASPEN
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 81612
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code ASE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length 7003
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --