Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cedaredge, Colorado 81413
Tuesady, November 19, 2013 18:10 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The instrument-rated pilot was flying the airplane inbound to Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE) on a night visual flight rules flight. While level at 13,500 feet msl, the pilot requested an instrument flight rules (IFR) clearance, most likely due to worsening weather conditions associated with snow showers. The controller issued an IFR clearance and requested that the pilot transmit the necessary flight plan information. While the pilot transmitted this information, the airplane began a climbing left turn. After noticing the airplane turn about 180 degrees, the controller queried the pilot, who had not recognized the turn and stated that his autopilot had disconnected. The controller subsequently issued the pilot a heading back toward ASE, which the pilot accepted. However, the airplane continued to turn left and then began a rapid descent to impact. Portions of the left wing, left flap and aileron, and left horizontal stabilizer and elevator were found separated from the main wreckage area. It is likely that the airplane entered instrument conditions, and the pilot became spatially disoriented as he was coordinating the instrument clearance and was unaware of the airplane's left turn and climb after the autopilot disconnected. Further, during the final rapid descent, the design stress limits of the airplane were exceeded and an in-flight breakup occurred.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's spatial disorientation while operating in dark night conditions in snow showers and his subsequent failure to maintain airplane control, which resulted in overstress of the airplane and an in-flight breakup. Contributing to the loss of control was the pilot's diverted attention while coordinating for an instrument flight rules clearance.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/19/2013 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1810 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Cedaredge |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 81413 |
| Event Date Year | 2013 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 383445N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1073145E |
| Event Location Airport | N/A |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | -- |
| 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 | 1815 Mountain Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 209 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KAJZ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5759 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 6500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Thin Broken |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 7 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 120 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.95 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KMTJ 200053Z AUTO 05003KT 10SM OVC110 07/M01 |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 33380 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Federal Aviation Administratio |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 9 2014 10:33PM |
| User who most recently changed record | folm |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N6832B |
| NTSB Number | CEN14FA064 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | T210 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | M |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 21062843 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3803 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | 6 |
| 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 | May 15 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3549 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | MONTANA NATIONAL INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | COOS BAY |
| Aircraft Owner State | OR |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 974202200 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | MONTANA NATIONAL INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | COOS BAY |
| Operator State | OR |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 974202200 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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 | KTOA |
| Departure City | Torrance |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1448 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KASE |
| Destination City | Aspen |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 9 2014 10:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | folm |
| 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 | -- |