Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Durango, Colorado 81301
Wednesday, November 4, 1987 12:34 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO PAX HAD CHARTERED N8266U FOR A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT OF THE LOCAL AREA. THE CHARTER PLT, A CFI FOUND THAT ONE OF THE PAX WAS A PLT AND PERMITTED HIM TO FLY THE ACFT. THE PAX EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN SPOTTING ELK AND FLEW THE ACFT INTO A CANYON, BELOW THE CANYON RIDGE LINE. THE ACFT APPROACHED THE END OF THE CANYON AND THE PLT EXECUTED A LEFT TURN. THE BACK SEAT PAX STATED THE STALL WARN HORN SOUNDED DURING THE TURN. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE ACFT BUT WAS UNABLE TO RECOVER BEFORE THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE TERRAIN RISES TO ABOVE 10,000 FT. THE CALCULATED CLIMB RATE WAS DETERMINED TO BE 200 FT PER MIN APPROX.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/4/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1234
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City DURANGO
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81301
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 11
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1257 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 190
Weather Observation Facility ID DRO
Elevation of weather observation facility 6685
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9613
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2102
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 4 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35444
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8266U
NTSB Number DEN88FA021
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8390002
Certified Max Gross Weight 2558
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 Oct 23 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 NEWTON ENTERPRISES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 700 ANIMOSA DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City DURANGO
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DURANGO AIR SERVICE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address LA PLATA AIRPORT
Operator City DURANGO
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 81301
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DRO
Departure City DURANGO
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
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 Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --