ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 134226
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| Date: | Saturday 28 July 2001 |
| Time: | 07:50 |
| Type: |  Cessna 172RG |
| Owner/operator: | Top Notch Aviation, Inc. |
| Registration: | N401TA |
| MSN: | 172RG0142 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1979 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 6269 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360-F1A6 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Gunnison, CO -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Initial climb |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Gunnison, CO (GUC) |
| Austin, TX (AUS) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
According to the pilot, after takeoff, he climbed to 9,700 feet msl in order to cross the mountains. The airplane then encountered a "300 foot updraft, and then a 2,000 foot downdraft." He decided to "land the plane without the use of the landing gear on the side of the mountain." One of the passengers said it was the pilot's first mountain flying experience. He remembered the airplane was at 80 knots and 8,300 feet as they approached a mountain. He said the pilot pulled back on the control yoke in an attempt to gain sufficient altitude to clear the peak but the airplane was slow in responding and "we literally came straight down" and "the belly [struck the ground] pretty hard." According to rescue personnel, the accident site was at 8,510 feet. The straight line distance between the airport and the accident site was 9 nm. The difference in accident elevation and airport elevation (8,510 - 7,673) was 837 feet. The computed climb rate was 93 feet per nm. Estimated airplane weight was 2,670 pounds at takeoff (maximum certificated gross weight is 2,650 pounds). The altimeter setting was 30.49 inches of mercury, and the computed pressure altitude was 7,103 feet msl. Referring to the Cessna 172RG "Maximum Rate of Climb" chart and interpolating, it was computed that the airplane was capable of achieving a climb rate of 464 fpm (feet per minute) and, at a climb speed of 79 knots, it was capable of climbing 352.4 feet per nm.
Probable Cause: the pilot's failure to attain the proper climb rate, and his improper inflight planning/decision to attempt to cross mountainous terrain at an inadequate altitude. Contributing factors were the downdraft and the pilot's total lack of experience in mountain flying.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20010807X01621&key=1
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 21-Dec-2016 19:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 10-Dec-2017 11:50 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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