Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Vail, Colorado 81657
Friday, July 17, 1987 10:52 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT PROCEEDED UP A BOX CANYON WHILE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. WHEN UNABLE TO OUT CLIMB TERRAIN, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO REVERSE DIRECTION. DURING THE TURN, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND CRASHED INTO TREES. THE PILOT HAD NOT RECEIVED INSTRUCTION IN MOUNTAIN FLYING. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1052
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City VAIL
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81657
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID EGE
Elevation of weather observation facility 6539
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
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) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
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) 13900
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) 1098
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 17 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1216
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34290
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N71SB
NTSB Number DEN87FA186
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20E
Aircraft Series Identifier M20E
Aircraft Serial Number 565
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 1 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 61
Airframe Hours 2823
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES E. HOLLIS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 107-C WOODVIEW DR.
Aircraft Owner City OZARK
Aircraft Owner State AL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 36360
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 EGE
Departure City EAGLE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 950
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FOE
Destination City TOPEKA
Destination State KS
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 --