Piper PA-28R-201 N6506C

Summary

On 7 August 2006 at about 16:20 local time, a Piper PA-28R-201 registered N6506C was involved in an accident near Salida, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 August 2006 at 16:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Salida, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

38.6167, -106.3000

Aircraft

Piper PA-28R-201

Registration

N6506C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salida → Milford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN06FA111

1 person died.

the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation. Contributing factors in this accident were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the geographical area, his becoming lost/disoriented, his improper decision, the high density altitude, and the reduction in the airplane's climb performance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and his passenger were returning to California after attending the Experimental Aircraft Association Convention (AirVenture 2006) in Wisconsin. The airplane arrived the evening before and was refueled. The next morning, the pilot obtained a Computer Science Corporation (CSC) Direct User Access Terminal System (DUATS) weather briefing and filed a VFR flight plan. The pilot asked which route he should take to go to Utah. He said he wanted to fly west across Monarch Pass (elevation 11,312 feet msl). It was suggested that he fly south through Poncha Pass before turning west. The airplane took off at 0945, and turned right towards Monarch Pass. Witnesses reported seeing a low-wing single-engine airplane flying north up a canyon. One witness 2 miles from the accident site said he saw a low-flying airplane pass overhead and fly into a valley. When it failed to emerge, the witness went to investigate and found the wreckage. The accident site was at an elevation of 12,020 feet msl and was surrounded by 13,000 and 14,000-foot mountain peaks. The airplane's right wing struck trees and the airplane came to rest inverted 250 feet away. The landing gear was down and the flaps were up.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.