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| Date: | Sunday 16 February 2014 |
| Time: | 11:26 |
| Type: |  Beechcraft 35-33 Debonair |
| Owner/operator: | Arizona Cloudbusters Inc |
| Registration: | N400DJ |
| MSN: | CD-40 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1960 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4509 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental IO-470-N11B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Telluride Regional Airport (TEX/KTEX), Telluride, CO -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Training |
| Departure airport: | Telluride Regional Airport, CO (TEX/KTEX) |
| Cortez-Montezuma County Airport, CO (CEZ/KCEZ) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On February 16, 2014, at 1126 mountain standard time, a Beech 35-33, N400DJ, impacted mountainous terrain, ½ mile west of the Telluride Regional Airport (KTEX), Telluride, Colorado. The female airline transport certificated pilot, the flight instructor, and one airline transport pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged and a postimpact fire ensued. The airplane was registered to and operated by Arizona Cloudbusters Flying Club, Gilbert, Arizona, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a training flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Cortez Municipal Airport (KCEZ), Cortez, Colorado.
The airplane departed the airport (which is at an elevation of 9,070 ft mean sea level [msl]) for a day cross-country flight in instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane wreckage was found 1/2 mile from the end of the departure runway in steep mountainous terrain 300 ft below a cliff band at an elevation of about 8,760 ft msl, which indicates that the airplane had not obtained a positive climb rate. The airplane impacted terrain in a wings-level attitude and was damaged by impact and a postimpact fire. An examination of the airplane, engine, and related systems revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
At the high end of the airplane’s estimated weight, it would have just met the airport’s required climb performance to clear the terrain beyond the end of the runway. Other factors that may have been present at the time of the accident, including the weather, mountainous terrain, and snow or ice accumulation before takeoff, could have adversely affected the airplane’s climb performance; however, it could not be determined to what extent these factors played a role. It is likely that the airplane did not establish a positive climb rate after takeoff and, based on the wreckage orientation, that the pilot flew the airplane directly into the terrain. It could not be determined what preflight planning the pilot conducted for the flight, including whether or not she received a weather briefing.
Probable Cause: The airplane’s failure to obtain a positive climb rate, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88805
http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=400DJ
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 17-Feb-2014 02:56 | Geno | Added |
| 17-Feb-2014 03:18 | Geno | Updated [Source, ] |
| 17-Feb-2014 18:51 | Alpine Flight | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
| 17-Feb-2014 20:30 | Geno | Updated [Nature, Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 28-Feb-2014 01:44 | Geno | Updated [Time, Nature, Source, ] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 29-Nov-2017 13:33 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 25-Mar-2025 13:26 | Captain Adam | Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Photo, ] |
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