Bishop's Cabin Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rio Blanco, Colorado 81650
Tuesady, September 1, 2009 9:25 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was landing at a 2,100-foot-long dirt and turf remote mountain airstrip in dry conditions with clear skies and calm wind. During the flare and initial touchdown, the pilot allowed the airplane to drift to the left edge of the runway and the nose gear of the airplane struck a runway edge marker. According to the pilot, that impact "forcefully bounced the aircraft back in the air while dragging the tail." The airplane then "landed hard but controllably" on the left edge of the runway and the pilot steered the airplane back onto the runway. There was substantial damage to the forward fuselage and nose gear, but no injuries to the pilot.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and his failure to execute a go-around.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/2009
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 925
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Rio Blanco
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81650
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 394332N
Event Location Longitude 1080820W
Event Location Airport Bishop's Cabin Airstrip
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 7100
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 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) 16
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) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26271
NTSB Notification Source NW Regional Communications Cen
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 3 2009 2:15PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6686E
NTSB Number CEN09CA615
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 175
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 56186
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 3756
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name Shelton Drilling Corp
Aircraft Owner Street Address P O Box 1059
Aircraft Owner City Basalt
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81621-1059
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Shelton Drilling Corp
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P O Box 1059
Operator City Basalt
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 81621-1059
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KGWS
Departure City GlenwoodSprings
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 850
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City Rio Blanco
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 30 2009 12:17PM
User who most recently changed record latt
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 2100
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --