Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

21Nm Nnw Mack,C, Colorado 81525
Tuesady, October 26, 1982 19:29 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A FLT FROM EVANSTON, WY TO GLENWOOD, CO, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED "CLOUD TO GROUND" CONDITINS & DIVERTED TOWARD GRAND JUNCTION, CO. HE STATED THAT DUE TO A NAV PROBLEM, HE RADIOED GRAND JUNCTION TOWER TO VERIFY HIS POSITION. GRAND JUNCTION HAD NO RADAR & WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY TRYING TO GET A FIX ON THE ACFT. THEREFORE, THEY CONTACTED DENVER CENTER (DEN CTR). DEN CTR ESTABLISHED RADAR CONTACT AT 1849 MDT. THE TOWER INFORMED THE PLT OF HIS POSITION APRX 40 MI NORTHWEST & PROVIDED A FREQ TO CONTACT DEN CTR. HOWEVER, A SHORT TIME LATER, THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT DEN CTR. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, HE STATED HE WAS LOSING GROUND CONTACT. FOR THE NEXT 35 MIN, TOWER & CTR MADE EVERY POSSIBLE EFFORT TO HELP ORIENT THE PILOT & VECTOR HIM TO GRAND JUNCTION. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN A HEADING OR AN ASSIGNED ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. DURING AN INVESTIGATION, THE NAV RECEIVER WAS FOUND ON 117.4 MHZ, THE GRAND JUNCTION VOR FREQ WAS 112.4 MHZ.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/26/1982
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1929
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City 21NM NNW MACK,C
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81525
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 10
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 1852
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 139
Weather Observation Facility ID GJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 58
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3224
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 Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5803R
NTSB Number DEN83FTE02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172G
Aircraft Series Identifier 172G
Aircraft Serial Number 17253472
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 91
Airframe Hours 6670
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUN FLYING SERVICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 512 10TH STREET 23
Aircraft Owner City GLENWOOD SPRING
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUN FLYING SERVICE, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 512 10TH STREET 23
Operator City GLENWOOD SPRING
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 81601
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EVW
Departure City EVANSTON
Departure State WY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GWS
Destination City GLENWOOD SPRING
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Other
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
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 --