Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary DEN88FA054

ELBERT, CO, USA

Aircraft #1

N9937U

GULFSTREAM AMERICAN AA-5A

Analysis

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH SLIGHTLY RISING TERRAIN WITH THE RT WING SLIGHTLY DOWN AND THE NOSE ATTITUDE LEVEL. FOLLOWING THE FIRST CONTACT, THE ACFT SKIPPED ABOUT 90 FT AND THE 2ND IMPACT WAS IN A MORE PRONOUNCED RT WING LOW AND NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THE CANOPY WAS EJECTED AND FOUND 20 FT RT AND 30 FT FWD OF THE 2ND IMPACT POINT. THE ACFT DISINTEGRATED FROM THE 2ND IMPACT POINT ALONG A 480 FT PATH WHICH WAS 147 FT WIDE. THE FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE STILL STRAPPED IN THEIR SEATS. THE REAR SEAT OCCUPANT WAS NOT STRAPPED IN AND WAS EJECTED 110 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE ACFT WAS ENROUTE FROM RAPID CITY, SD TO COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. THE CRASH SITE WAS 3 MILES WEST OF ELBERT, CO. AT AN ELEVATION OF APPRX 7100 FT MSL. A WITNESS AT ELBERT, CO. SAID AT THE TIME OF THE ACC THE CLOUDS WERE 'ON THE GROUND' AND VISIBILITY WAS 'VERY POOR.' WX IN COLORADO SPRINGS WAS 100 OVERCAST 3/4 MILE VISIBILITY IN SNOW. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE PLT CHECKED THE WX. ACFT HEADING AT IMPACT WAS AWAY FROM A HEADING TO THE FLTS DESTINATION.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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