Cessna T206H N97PP

Summary

On 11 July 2007 at about 16:34 local time, a Cessna T206H registered N97PP, operated by James E. Bertelsmeyer, was involved in an accident near Gunnison, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and 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

11 July 2007 at 16:34

Classification

Accident

Location

Gunnison, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Gunnison-Crested Butte Regiona (GUC)

Coordinates

38.5339, -106.9331

Aircraft

Cessna T206H

Registration

N97PP

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James E. Bertelsmeyer

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gunnison → Saratoga

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN07LA119

1 person was seriously injured.

An inadvertent stall during takeoff/initial climb. Contributing factors in this accident were a partial loss of engine power for reasons undetermined, and high density altitude conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said he rotated between 65 and 70 KIAS, flew in ground effect, and then climbed to about 50 to 75 feet. There was a "significant reduction in power" and the airplane "started gyrating wildly." The "right wing stalled and struck the runway along with the right main wheel." The airplane bounced, collapsing the nose wheel, and skidded to a halt on the side of the runway. The right wing was bent up about four feet inboard on the tip. Of the six witness statements received, one reported hearing an "unusual noise." Another witness heard the engine "misfire." The engine was examined. No anomalies were noted. The lineman who had been on duty on the morning of the accident reported witnessing the entire accident sequence. He stated that full power was developed as the airplane accelerated down the runway. At the 1,000-foot marker, the airplane lifted off and assumed "a very steep angle of attitude" (approximately 15 degrees or greater), and climbed to about 15 to 25 feet above the ground. The engine began surging (it was "not rhythmic and did not stop"). The pilot leveled off and began a stabilized descent, as if he were making a forced landing, and then leveled off again. The airplane suddenly dipped to the left and pulled up to a "high angle of attitude." The airplane stalled and broke to the right and nosed into the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.