Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Driggs Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Teton Village, Wyoming 83025
Tuesady, August 16, 2011 18:40 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported departing the airport in the light-sport weight-shift-control airplane, and flying southbound along the western slopes of the Teton Mountain Range. The airplane climbed to an altitude of about 8,000 feet mean sea level, and the pilot changed course, approaching a canyon area to the east. As he approached rising terrain the airplane's rate of climb began to diminish. He elected to continue flight towards a plateau, due to ridges which were now encroaching from his left and right. He attempted to increase the airplane's rate of climb, and the airspeed subsequently began to decrease. He reported that as the airplane approached stall speed, he encountered a gust of wind and the airplane stalled. He lowered the airplane's nose, and was able recover control about 20 feet above ground level. He attempted to land ahead on the plateau; however, during the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane rolled onto the right wing, substantially damaging both wings. The accident site was located in a remote area at the 9,800-foot-level on the western slope of the mountain range. The pilot utilized a SPOT Global Positioning System (GPS) emergency locator to summon assistance from search and rescue personnel, who located him about 2 hours after the accident. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which resulted in a stall mush to ground impact.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/16/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1840 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Teton Village |
| Event State | WYOMING |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 83025 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 433801N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1105431W |
| Event Location Airport | Driggs |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KDIJ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 12 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 6231 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1856 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 205 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KDIH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6231 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 12 |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.23 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KDIJ 170056Z AUTO 28008KT 10SM CLR 23/M03 A3 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 28934 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA AWP Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 12 2011 1:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | andj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N988AZ |
| NTSB Number | WPR11CA387 |
| 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 | P&M Aviation |
| Aircraft Model | GT450 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 8270 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 990 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 11 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 142 |
| Airframe Hours | 142 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MAUCH JAMES C |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | LOUISVILLE |
| Aircraft Owner State | KY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 40207-1801 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | MAUCH JAMES C |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | LOUISVILLE |
| Operator State | KY |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 40207-1801 |
| 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 | KDIJ |
| Departure City | Driggs |
| Departure State | ID |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1720 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KDIJ |
| Destination City | Driggs |
| Destination State | ID |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 8 2011 5:53PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| 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 | -- |