Piper PA-28-180 N6444J

Summary

On 1 August 2002 at about 14:55 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N6444J was involved in an accident near Gypsum, Colorado, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 August 2002 at 14:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Gypsum, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.8086, -107.2764

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N6444J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eagle → Idaho Falls

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW02FA222

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to perform remedial action and maintain clearance with the rising mountainous terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's poor planning/decision, the rising terrain, and the high density altitude.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Approximately 19 nm northwest of the departure airport (elevation 6,535 feet), the airplane impacted the rising mountainous terrain at an elevation of 10,050 feet. Prior to departure, the pilot calculated the airplane's gross weight to be approximately 2,270 pounds (maximum gross weight 2,400). After a takeoff roll of approximately 5,000 feet, the airplane departed the runway, and the pilot executed a right turn toward the rising terrain. Approximately 5 minutes into the flight, the right front seat passenger commented to the pilot that "we're going kinda low." The pilot stated that after climbing about 10 to 15 minutes up a valley, he noticed that the vertical climb rate had decreased to about 100-200 feet per minute, which was half the climb rate that he expected at full throttle power. During the impact with the terrain, the fuel tanks ruptured and the airplane was destroyed by a post-impact fire. The engine was test run according to the manufacturer specifications. No discrepancies or anomalies were noted during the engine test run that would indicate the engine was not capable of operating and producing power prior to the accident. No anomalies or discrepancies were noted with the airframe. The density altitude at the accident site was calculated to be approximately 12,000 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.