Pueblo Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pueblo, Colorado 81001
Saturday, June 12, 2004 7:17 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The purpose of the flight was to take ground photographs of the airplane in flight for a promotional brochure that was being prepared for the upcoming air show season. Witnesses saw the airplane make what appeared to be a normal takeoff, lifting off about halfway down the 4,073-foot runway. It then rolled steeply to the left and the nose fell through the horizon. The airplane struck the ground, exploded, and burned. Based on pictures and wreckage proximity to the runway, the pilot's HA-200 flight instructor said he doubted the airplane could have climbed more than 200-300 feet, and speed would have been no more than 130-140 knots. According to his flight instructor, this speed would allow for shallow turns. If, however, the airplane were to make a steep bank, as witnesses described, a 180-knot airspeed would be required to sustain a 60-degree bank. If the airplane stalled, it would always roll towards the low wing. With its "almost perfect c.g. (center of gravity)," the airplane would recover from an accelerated stall after the pilot unloaded the wings. The instructor said the pilot "flew well, flew safe, and had a good command authority for his new jet. I was impressed with his command ability and attention to detail." He was "above average...an aggressive pilot in command, [who] knew the aircraft systems well." Around the fifth hour of instruction, the pilot expressed his desire to do some aerobatics. The instructor told him that "low level air show work had huge unforgiving risks involved," and that "aerobatics was totally out of the question." The instructor asked him to demonstrate a barrel roll at 12,000 feet. The instructor said that during the maneuver, the pilot lost 6,000 feet and rolled out 70 degrees off heading. The instructor then demonstrated a Cuban-8. The lesson ended by the instructor advising the pilot not to perform aerobatics in the HA-200. He suggested that he take basic aerobatic instruction in a slower, more forgiving airplane. The pilot said he would seek another instructor. The engines were later disassembled and inspected. No discrepancies were noted. Autopsy and toxicological protocols were unremarkable.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed resulting in an accelerated stall at an altitude too low for recovery. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience in the aircraft make and model.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/12/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 717
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Pueblo
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81001
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381700N
Event Location Longitude 1043019W
Event Location Airport Pueblo Memorial
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PUB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 230
Airport Elevation 4726
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 653 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID PUB
Elevation of weather observation facility 4726
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.03
Density Altitude (feet) 5499
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16701
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date Jun 12 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 733
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 16 2007 2:49PM
User who most recently changed record LEMA
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, Colorado

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N611HA
NTSB Number DEN04LA089
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
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Hispano Aviacion
Aircraft Model HA-200
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number E.14A-11
Certified Max Gross Weight 7385
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 2
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 3 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 833
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name On File
Aircraft Owner Street Address On File
Aircraft Owner City Pueblo
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81001
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PUB
Departure City Pueblo
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 717
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PUB
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jan 16 2007 2:49PM
User who most recently changed record LEMA
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26L
Runway Length 4073
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --