Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Nucla, Colorado 81424
Saturday, May 12, 1984 10:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

PLT STATED, 'I MADE ONE PASS ON LOW BOUNDRY SPREADING 100% OF SEED AND BEGAN A CLIMBING LEFT TURN TO MAKE A PASS FROM HIGH SIDE DOWN EAST BOUNDRY. I REACHED ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300 FT AGL (ABOVE GROUND LEVEL) AND ATTEMPTED TO PASS OVER TELEPHONE DRAW RIDGE WHEN I ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWN DRAFT. I APPLIED FULL CLIMB POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO TURN TO LOWER GROUND BUT WAS UNABLE TO OVERCOME SINK AND CLEAR TERRAIN. I THEN FLARED THE PLANE TO A LANDING ALTITUDE JUST BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN TO MINIMIZE SPEED AND DAMAGE. I DON'T RECALL MUCH AFTER IMPACT BUT INDICATIONS ARE THAT LEFT WING AND MAIN STRUCK FIRST CAUSING 180 DEGREE COUNTER CLOCKWISE ROTATION, THEN TAIL STRUCK AND COLLAPSED LETTING PLANE LAND ON BACK ON TOP OF TAIL.' DENSITY ALT OVER THE 6700 FT MSL TERRAIN WAS 9205 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/12/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1040
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City NUCLA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81424
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 5
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9205
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1691
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25510
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 N71429
NTSB Number DEN84LA150
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 137: Agricultural
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182M
Aircraft Series Identifier 182M
Aircraft Serial Number 18259618
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 19 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 246
Airframe Hours 2129
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES L. PUGH
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 684
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Aerial Application
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 6V6
Departure City NUCLA
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1035
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 10:36AM
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 --