Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Meeker, Colorado 81641
Tuesady, July 19, 2011 12:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he departed on a local sightseeing flight. He said that about 5 miles south of the airport at 1,000 feet above ground level, the airplane encountered a strong downdraft and began to descend. The airplane collided with the tops of several trees before the pilot could arrest the descent. The pilot was able to regain control of the airplane and returned to the departure airport without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent flight into a downdraft, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Meeker
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81641
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 400255N
Event Location Longitude 1075309W
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KEEO
Elevation of weather observation facility --
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.24
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) 28882
NTSB Notification Source FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 19 2011 9:59AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N314FR
NTSB Number CEN11CA492
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18280260
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 23 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1934
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name PHDS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 983
Aircraft Owner City MARINETTE
Aircraft Owner State WI
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 54143-0983
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name PHDS INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO BOX 983
Operator City MARINETTE
Operator State WI
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 54143-0983
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 No
Departure Airport Code KEEO
Departure City Meeker
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KEEO
Destination City Meeker
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 26 2011 11:25AM
User who most recently changed record hatc
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --