Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Glenwood Springs, Colorado 81601
Saturday, June 30, 2012 9:20 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A pilot with 56 hours of pilot-in-command time was on the return leg of a cross-country flight over mountainous terrain. The pilot did not note any airplane anomalies during the startup, engine run-up, or takeoff. The pilot reported that it was a clear, calm morning, and he made the decision to fly on the left side of a canyon. The pilot indicated that when he wanted to climb out of the canyon, power increases did not seem to help, so he slowed the airplane to 70 knots indicated airspeed to minimize the turnaround radius to exit the canyon. He stated that he slowed the airplane a little more to make the turnaround and remembered feeling/seeing the airplane hit a tree. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the flight controls or engine. A camera in the cockpit, which recorded video of the accident flight, also revealed no airplane or engine anomalies. The airplane was observed impacting trees on rising terrain. Warmer-than-standard temperatures on the day of the accident resulted in a high density altitude and reduced climb performance of the airplane.
An FAA publication, "Tips on Mountain Flying," indicated that pilots should carefully consider their experience and background before beginning a flight into mountainous terrain. It urged pilots to consider attending a recognized mountain flying course to attain the knowledge and skills needed for safe flying. The publication further stated that pilots should wait until they have at least 150 hours of pilot-in-command time before taking mountain training, as more experienced pilots have had time to become more familiar and comfortable with the airplane and with flight planning.
The pilot stated that he had received instruction on assessing canyons from a previous mountain flight. The pilot did not indicate that he attended a recognized mountain flying course.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to fly into a mountainous area where conditions were such that the airplane was unable to climb above rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's insufficient pilot-in-command experience and inadequate training in mountain flying.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/30/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 920 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Glenwood Springs |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 81601 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 393620N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1071617W |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| 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 | 947 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 200 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | 5SM |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 10567 |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| 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) | 30.54 |
| 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) | 32006 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-ANM-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 23 2013 4:27PM |
| User who most recently changed record | male |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N917SA |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA414 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172S |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 172S9177 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2550 |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 29 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 2025 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | C91-A |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WINGS UP LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | WILMINGTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | DE |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 19810-4902 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Rocky Mountain Flight School |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Broomfield |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 80021 |
| 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 | GWS |
| Departure City | Glenwood Spring |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 912 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | BJC |
| Destination City | Broomfield |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 23 2013 4:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | male |
| 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 | -- |