Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aspen, Colorado 81611
Friday, July 12, 1985 12:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

CFI AND STUDENT DEPARTED ASPEN, COLORADO, ON A DUAL X-COUNTRY FLT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 9954 FEET. THE CFI DIRECTED STUDENT TO FLY UP A CANYON IN AN AREA OF RISING TERRAIN. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF ACFT AND WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB OVER TERRAIN THAT RISES UPWARD TO 11000 FEET. THE ACFT STRUCK TALL TREES AT THE 9800 FOOT LEVEL. THE ACCIDENT SITE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED TO BE 11916 FEET. THE ACFT SERVICE CEILING IS 12000 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City ASPEN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81611
Event Date Year 1985
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1245 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID ASE
Elevation of weather observation facility 7816
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 11916
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) 2520
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30251
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2443Y
NTSB Number DEN85FA186
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8516038
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
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 8 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 117
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLOWER AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PUEBLO AIRPORT
Operator City PUEBLO
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 81000
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code ASE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1135
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code LXV
Destination City LEADVILLE
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --