DILLON, CO, USA
N3944V
CESSNA 170A
THE PLT DEPD FM ALASKA SVRL DAYS BEFORE THE ACDNT & WAS EN ROUTE TO CANTON, OHIO. ON THE DAY OF THE ACDNT, HE TOOK OFF FROM MOAB, UTAH & WAS FLWG INTERSTATE 70 (A MAJOR HWY). THERE WERE WITNESSES NR THE EISENHOWER TUNNEL (EVEL 11,145 FT) AT THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE IN COLORADO. THEY SAW AN ACFT THAT MATCHED THE DESCRIPTION OF N3944V. THEY RPRTD THE ACFT WAS EASTBOUND AT LOW ALT AS IT PASSED THE WEST ENTRANCE, THEN IT BEGAN CLIMBING. BEFORE REACHING THE DIVIDE, THE ACFT TURNEDABRUPTLY NORTH & WAS LAST SEEN FLYING UP A VALLEY. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED ON A SNOW FIELD IN A BOWL AREA, SURROUNDED ON THE WEST, NORTH & EAST BY PEAKS & RIDGES. TERRAIN AROUND THE ACDNT SITE ROSE UPWARD TO 13,000 FT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. DURING IMPACT, THE LEADING EDGES OF THE WINGS WERE CRUSHED & THE EMPENNAGE HAD BROKEN ABOUT 4 FT AFT OF THE WINGS & HAD FOLDED AFT & RIGHT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE PLT HAD SURVIVED THE IMPACT, BUT DIED FROM COMPLICATIONS OF HYPOTHERMIA. HIS STUDENT PLT/MED CERT HAD BEEN ISSUED ON 4/24/86.
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
