Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salida, Colorado 81201
Saturday, July 23, 1983 13:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A MOUNTAIN IN A CONTROLLED CRASH SITUATION WITH FULL FLAPS AND FULL POWER AT THE 11,312 FT LEVEL THE DENSITY ALT WAS COMPUTED TO BE 12,370 FT MSL. THE PLT WAS AWARE THAT THE WEATHER WAS QUESTIONABLE IN SOME AREAS OF HIS ROUTE AND THE MOUNTAIN TOPS OBSCURED. THE PLT TOLD THE FSS AT GRAND JUNCTION AFTER A WEATHER BRIEFING THAT HE WOULD GO AND FLT CHECK THE WEATHER IN THE AREA AND CALL FSS BACK. AFTER TAKEOFF THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE FLT. THE PLT GAVE SEVERAL ACCOUNTS OF HIS DIFFICULTIES TO DIFFERENT PEOPLE NONE OF WHICH COULD BE VERIFIED. THE PLTSACCOUNT OF A LIGHTING STRIKE AND AIRFRAME FAILURE WERE NOT EVIDENCED BY WRECKAGE EXAMINATION OR BY WITNESSES WHO SAW THEACFT CIRCLING THE VALLEY WEST OF THE TRAIL THEY WERE HORSEBACK RIDING ON. THE PLT SAID HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALT. HE TURNED INTO THE HILLSIDE, LOWERED FLAPS, APPLIED FULL POWER AND SETTLED INTO THE TREES. ALL 4 OCCUPANTS GOT OUT WITH MINOR OR NO INJURIES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1300
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SALIDA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81201
Event Date Year 1983
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 Unknown
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1315 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 262
Weather Observation Facility ID GUC
Elevation of weather observation facility 7668
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 30
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9083
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1781
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22052
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 N12370
NTSB Number DEN83LA174
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model C35
Aircraft Series Identifier C35
Aircraft Serial Number D-3369
Certified Max Gross Weight 2700
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 Oct 6 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 56
Airframe Hours 2256
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DARRELL D. LAND
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11047 CANTARA ST.
Aircraft Owner City SUN VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91352
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 GJT
Departure City GRAND JUNCTION
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code IV5
Destination City BOULDER
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --