Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aspen, Colorado 81611
Thursday, March 4, 1982 14:50 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A TREE ON TOP OF A 12,000 FOOT MOUNTAIN AFTER IT HAD DEPARTED ASPEN, EN ROUTE TO DENVER. THE AIRCRAFT SHOULD HAVE CLIMBED OVER THE MOUNTAIN WITHOUT PROBLEMS. THE PILOT ONLY REMEMBERS THE AIRSPEED DECAYING AND LOWERING FULL FLAPS PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH THE TREE. BOTH OCCUPANTS RECEIVED ONLY MINOR INJURIES DURING THE ACCIDENT BUT WERE NOT RESCUED FOR THREE DAYS. THE PASSENGER DIED FROM HYPOTHERMIA AND THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS FROST BITE OF BOTH FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/4/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ASPEN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81611
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 3
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 Unknown
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 Unknown
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 315
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 30
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3060
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5755Q
NTSB Number DEN82FA039
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name MOONEY
Aircraft Model M20E
Aircraft Series Identifier M20E
Aircraft Serial Number 736
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 2693
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM L. CLAYBORN
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 61167
Aircraft Owner City DALLAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75261
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM L. CLAYBORN
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 61167
Operator City DALLAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 75261
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City ASPEN
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1440
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City DENVER
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:49PM
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 --