Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nucla, Colorado 81424
Wednesday, January 28, 1987 10:08 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS ON AN IFR FLT TO AN ARPT WITHOUT AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE. ATC CLEARED THE FLT TO DESCEND TO 12,000 FT, THE IFR MEA FOR THE AREA, AT 30 NM NE OF THE ARPT. AT APPROX 3 MIN PRIOR TO THE MISHAP, THE PLT WAS ISSUED A CRUISE CLEARANCE AT 12,000 FT, GIVEN THE ARPT POSITION AS 12 O'CLOCK, 17 NM , AND INSTRUCTED TO REPORT HIS ARRIVAL TO FSS. THE PLT INITIATED A DESCENT ON A TRACK DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT. THE ACFT IMPACTED TREES AT 9200 FT MSL, NEAR THE TOP OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGELINE, 13 MILES FROM THE ARPT. EVIDENCE INDICATES THE ACFT WAS IN IMC AND THAT THE RIDGELINE WAS OBSCURED IN CLOUDS. THE WEATHER AT GRAND JUNCTION, 50 NM NORTH, WAS PARTIAL OBSCURATION, LOW SCATTERED CLOUDS, 4000 OVCST, VIS 1 MILE IN FOG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/28/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1008
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City NUCLA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81424
Event Date Year 1987
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 1010 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 345
Weather Observation Facility ID GJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4857
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 8650
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 648
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 28 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33765
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1721X
NTSB Number DEN87FA061
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model T210L
Aircraft Series Identifier T210L
Aircraft Serial Number 21060743
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 8 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 3482
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RUSSELL J. CAMPION
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13083 NORTH 75TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City LONGMONT
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RAINBOW AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HANGAR B-8, JEFFCO AIRPORT
Operator City BROOMFIELD
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80020
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BJC
Departure City BROOMFIELD
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 823
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --