Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Telluride, Colorado 81435
Friday, September 9, 2005 7:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While attempting to climb over rising terrain, the airplane encountered downdrafts, stalled, and impacted terrain. The pilot flew the airplane at an altitude of 10,600 feet msl toward the leeward side of a ridge after departure from the local airport. The pilot reported the airplane had a "good rate of climb" until reaching the ridge line and then encountered downdrafts. Upon reaching the ridge, the airplane stopped climbing and began a descent. The pilot raised the nose of the airplane in an attempt to clear the ridge and he heard the stall warning horn. Subsequently, the airplane stalled and impacted terrain approximately 200 feet below the ridge line.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision and failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and the rising terrain and encounter with downdrafts.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/9/2005
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 730
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Telluride
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81435
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 375713N
Event Location Longitude 1075430W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) --
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency --
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 18780
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2005 6:27AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N207GR
NTSB Number DEN05CA136
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model T207A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 20700485
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Blue Sky Telluride LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Telluride
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
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? 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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code TEX
Departure City Telluride
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MTJ
Destination City Montrose
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 28 2005 1:09PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --