Cirrus SR20 N8127J

Summary

On 16 August 2006 at about 04:20 local time, a Cirrus SR20 registered N8127J, operated by West Valley Flying Club, was involved in an accident near Kremmling, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 August 2006 at 04:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Kremmling, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

40.0353, -106.4514

Aircraft

Cirrus SR20

Registration

N8127J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

West Valley Flying Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cedar City → Denver

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DEN06FA114

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to properly execute the published missed approach procedure resulting in an impact with mountainous terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's attempted flight into known adverse weather conditions, failure to obtain the UNICOM frequency during the approach which resulted in the pilot's failure to illuminate the runway lights, and the pressure induced on the pilot by the night, weather and terrain conditions encountered during the flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While maneuvering in night visual meteorological conditions, the airplane impacted mountainous terrain and was destroyed by impact forces. Prior to departure, the pilot obtained a weather briefing which reported thunderstorms and moderate to severe precipitation along the intended route of flight. During the flight, the pilot inquired to air traffic control on several occasions that he thought about diverting; however, he elected to continue along the route of flight until the weather conditions deteriorated to a point that he decided to divert. After diverting to an alternate airport, the pilot attempted a non-precision approach. During the approach, the pilot failed to turn on the runway lights, which were to be activated by the pilot through the UNICOM frequency. A witness observed the airplane over fly the runway and the runway lights were not illuminated. Because the pilot could not see the runway during the approach, he executed a missed approach; however, he did not fly the published missed approach procedure resulting in an impact with mountainous terrain. Rescue personnel reported that the pilot stated he was "flying last night in bad weather, it was a stupid thing to do and he should not have been flying." The accident site was located on rock and sagebrush covered terrain at an elevation of 8,350 feet approximately 4 miles west from the runway threshold. At the time of the accident, the weather conditions at the airport were reported as visibility 10 statute miles, rain, scattered clouds at 3,300 feet, and density altitude of approximately 9,500 feet. The pilot had accumulated approximately 20 hours in the accident airplane make and model, 11 night flight hours, and no actual instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) flight experience as a single pilot. No anomalies were noted with the airframe and engine.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.