Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Gunnison, Colorado 81230
Friday, May 11, 2001 19:37 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Numerous witnesses, some as far away as 25 miles from the accident site, observed a low-flying airplane matching the description of the accident airplane. It was seen to drop down to near the surface of a reservoir, continue for several miles, then pull up and strike four 1/2-inch diameter aluminum high tension power lines that spanned the width of the reservoir. Three lines carried 26,000 volts and the ground (static) line carried 12,000 volts. The distance between the supporting structures was 1,245 feet. The low point of the drooping cables was about 250 feet above the water's surface. The cables were unmarked, and there are no regulations requiring that they be marked. The airplane was flying towards a setting sun when the collision occurred. Both pilots were commercial certificated, instrument rated, and flight instructors. The airplane was equipped with dual flight controls; therefore, which pilot was serving as pilot-in-command during the flight is not known. The medical examiner found a piece of paper clutched in the first (left seat) pilot's fist. It was later identified as being a portion of the Denver Sectional Chart, and depicted an area just north of the accident site. According to the pathologist, the injuries exhibited by the second (right seat) pilot were consistent with (and the injuries exhibited by the first pilot were not consistent with) being at the controls of the airplane. Toxicological screening revealed tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (marijuana) in the second pilot's blood [0.0096 (ug/ml, ug/g)] and urine [0.0768 (ug/ml, ug/g)]. The first pilot tested negative for drugs and alcohol.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
intentional buzzing by both pilots and their failure to maintain clearance with transmission wires. A contributing factor was the sun glare.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/11/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1937 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Gunnison |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 81230 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 382750N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1071029W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1955 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GUC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 7673 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.28 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 9309 |
| 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) | 11455 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NW OPERATIONS CENTER |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 11 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2000 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 20 2002 1:46PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Denver, Colorado |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6002H |
| NTSB Number | DEN01FA096 |
| 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 | Ground and In-flight |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | 76 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | ME-121 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3900 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 3 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 15 |
| Airframe Hours | 4885 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | EDB Air, Inc. |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7625 S. Peoria St., Suite D15 |
| Aircraft Owner City | Englewood |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80112 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Wings of Denver |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 7625 S. Peoria St., Box 10 |
| Operator City | Englewood |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 80112 |
| 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 | APA |
| Departure City | Englewood |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1755 |
| 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 | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 28 2002 11:00AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |