Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Garfield County Region Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Rifle, Colorado 81650
Sunday, October 18, 2009 13:30 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that during the initial climb he retarded the power lever and the engine did not respond and remained at full power. He attempted to cycle the power level and only experienced a change in power output when the control was at the flight idle position and at the full-power position. While preparing to land, the pilot cycled the power between flight idle and full power in an effort to maintain airspeed and attain the proper glide path. During final approach, the pilot attempted to increase power again but the engine did not respond and remained at flight idle. The airplane landed short of the approach end of the runway and came to rest inverted. A postaccident examination of the engine and associated components revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The investigative team and an independent certificated flight instructor duplicated the engine power anomalies described by the pilot by manipulating the propeller condition lever in place of the power lever, which is likely what the pilot did prior to the accident.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to properly identify the power lever and, instead, manipulating the propeller condition lever.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/18/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1330 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Rifle |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 81650 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 393134n |
| Event Location Longitude | 1074337w |
| Event Location Airport | Garfield County Region Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | RIL |
| 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 | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 5537 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 1315 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 270 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | RIL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5537 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| 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 |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27760 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NWR ROC - FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 2 2011 8:18AM |
| User who most recently changed record | andj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7217S |
| NTSB Number | CEN10FA021 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | P210N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | P21000132 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4016 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 4 |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Mar 1 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3780 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SUNDOWNER AVIATION LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | PO BOX 1700 |
| Aircraft Owner City | GLENWOOD SPRINGS |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 81602-1700 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | PO BOX 1700 |
| Operator City | GLENWOOD SPRINGS |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 81602-1700 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | RIL |
| Departure City | Rifle |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | RIL |
| Destination City | Rifle |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 11 2013 2:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | hopj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |