Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Meadow Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Elbert, Colorado 80106
Wednesday, January 24, 2001 18:00 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to radar data, at 1729:09, the airplane departed on a night cross-country flight and its transponder was sending a 1200 (VFR) code. There were no records found of the flight contacting air traffic control, nor was it required to do so. The airplane climbed to 9,200 feet and flew toward the destination airport. At 1756:53, the airplane initiated a 250 foot per minute rate of descent. At 1800:55, the final radar image was received 11 miles north of the destination airport, at 8,200 feet msl (500 feet agl). Prior to the last radar return, the airplane had been in a steady, gradual descent. The accident site was located approximately 8 miles north-northeast of the destination airport. A witness, who lives near the accident site, reported that at the time of the accident dense fog conditions were occurring and the visibility was less than 50 yards. Review of weather observations revealed that the flight departed in visual meteorological conditions and the weather conditions deteriorated to instrument meteorological conditions as the flight progressed toward the destination airport. During the one hour time period surrounding the accident, the weather at the nearest observation facility to the accident site changed from a few clouds at 300 feet, scattered clouds at 1,300 feet, visibility 3 miles in fog, and a 1 degree temperature dew point spread, to broken clouds at 200 feet and a 0 degree temperature dew point spread. No record of the pilot receiving a pre-flight weather briefing from a flight service station was found. The airframe and engine were examined and no pre-impact anomalies were found that would have precluded their operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's continued visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing factors to the accident were the low clouds, reduced visibilities due to fog, and the dark night light condition.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/24/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Wednesday |
| Time of Event | 1800 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Elbert |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80106 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 390335N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1043811W |
| Event Location Airport | Meadow Lake |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 00V |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 8 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 270 |
| Airport Elevation | 6874 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1806 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | COS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6180 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 300 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 3 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -3 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.3 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 5140 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 12033 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NW OPERATIONS CENTER |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 24 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2300 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 25 2002 9:28AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | DENVER, CO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2898R |
| NTSB Number | DEN01FA045 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 182K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 18258498 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1700 |
| 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 | May 25 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2928 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Mary L. Bilka |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 8020 Navion Lane |
| Aircraft Owner City | Peyton |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80831 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Tassilo J. Bilka |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | 48V |
| Departure City | Erie |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1729 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 00V |
| Destination City | Colorado Sprgs |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 28 2002 4:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |