Aspen-Pitkin Co/Sardy Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aspen, Colorado 81611
Saturday, February 15, 2003 16:01 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The approach was stabilized at 100 knots with landing gear and flaps in the landing position. The approach was normal until approximately 100 feet above the runway at which time the airplane encountered a turbulence condition causing rapid-roll tendencies right and left. As the student began his landing flare at about 15 feet above the runway, the left wing dropped rapidly combined with a sudden high sink rate. At that point the flight instructor took control of the airplane, applying corrective rudder, aileron, pitch and power corrections. Despite the flight instructor's actions, the left wing struck the runway. Winds at the time were reported 310 degrees at 6 knots. The temperature was 2 degrees Celsius. Records suggest that the winds were variable throughout the day.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the dual student's failure to maintain aircraft control and the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor. Contributing factors include the tailwind and the turbulence.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/15/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1601
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Aspen
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81611
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 391323N
Event Location Longitude 1065208W
Event Location Airport ASPEN-PITKIN CO/SARDY FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID ASE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 7820
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1553 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID ASE
Elevation of weather observation facility 7820
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14222
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Center
NTSB Notification Date Feb 15 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2155
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, CO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N700GJ
NTSB Number DEN03LA043
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SOCATA
Aircraft Model TBM 700
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 241
Certified Max Gross Weight 6579
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection Oct 1 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 123.4
Airframe Hours 124.3
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RBL Aviation LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1819 Aston Ave Ste 105
Operator City Carlsbad
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 92008
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) Instructional
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 1515
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code ASE
Destination City Aspen
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? Yes
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Sep 17 2003 11:15AM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 7006
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --