Pilot Debrief

CUB CRAFTERS INC CC18-180 near Air Force Academy, CO — 2022-07-01

Final reportCEN22LA297
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Date
2022-07-01
Location
Air Force Academy, CO, USA
Airport
AFF
Aircraft
CUB CRAFTERS INC CC18-180
Registration
N469AK
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the go-around, which resulted in impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment from the effects of alcohol consumption.

NTSB narrative

The glider tow pilot had completed one flight and was returning to the airport following the second tow of the day. The pilot reported that, during the approach, he encountered a meteorological effect and the airplane drifted to the left and the pilot decided to initiate a go-around. As the airplane was accelerating during the go-around, it started “turning/yawing” even though the pilot was trying to accelerate straight and level. The pilot surmised this was from the same meteorological effect that initially pushed the airplane left. The pilot noticed that the airplane seemed to yaw to the right, the airplane began descending, touched down, and came to rest inverted in a grass field, resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot admitted to first responders that he had consumed alcohol earlier that morning. The pilot was evaluated at a hospital, where he was diagnosed with alcohol intoxication based on a serum ethanol test result of 0.079 g/dL collected about one hour after the accident. It is likely that the pilot was experiencing impairing effects of ethanol at the time of the accident. It is unknown whether ethanol’s impairing effects were worsened by altitude effects (the field elevation of the airport was about 6,500 ft above mean sea level); however, it is likely that ethanol effects increased the pilot’s risk of making serious errors and diminished his ability to effectively maintain airplane control. Thus, pilot impairment from effects of alcohol consumption likely contributed to the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have refrained from flying after consuming alcohol earlier that morning.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 12 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents12

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