Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 24-250 near Collbran, CO — 2013-12-12

Final reportCEN14FA084
Sign in to save
Date
2013-12-12
Location
Collbran, CO, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA 24-250
Registration
N8037P
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
3
Phase of flight
Maneuvering

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and subsequent impact with terrain.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was flying the airplane with two passengers on board to search for lost cattle in mountainous terrain. Witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering at a low altitude. The airplane was reported overdue, and the wreckage was subsequently located in a sparsely wooded area. An onboard GPS unit recorded the accident flight and depicted the airplane flying several north and south legs at altitudes ranging between 300 and 500 feet above ground level before the recording ended. The airplane impacted terrain in an extreme nose-low attitude with lateral distortion of the empennage. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The wreckage evidence indicated that the pilot likely failed to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall/spin and subsequent impact with terrain. Toxicology testing revealed the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol in the lung and tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid in the liver and lung, which suggested the recent use of marijuana; however, insufficient evidence existed to determine whether the pilot was impaired by its use at the time of the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to fly at a safer altitude or in a different aircraft.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 11 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents11

Related mishaps