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| Date: | Thursday 31 July 1997 |
| Time: | 14:20 LT |
| Type: |  Lancair 320 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N360GB |
| MSN: | 1177P |
| Total airframe hrs: | 334 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Dillon, CO -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Concord, CA (KCCR) |
| Oshkosh, WI (KOSH) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
While on a cross-country flight in mountainous terrain, the pilot was navigating by following an interstate highway. At an elevation of about 11,000 feet, the highway entered a tunnel. The pilot turned up a side canyon, and the airplane impacted terrain at about 12,200 feet msl, approximately 1/2 mile from the highway/tunnel. Weather at the time was low clouds approximately 200 feet above the entrance to the tunnel and moderate rain. The pilot did not have an instrument rating, and the airplane was not certified for instrument flight. Mountain tops in the area exceed 13,000 feet. Witnesses observed the airplane enter the clouds as it turned up the side canyon.
Probable Cause: the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) conditions, and failure to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: low ceiling, rain, and high/mountainous terrain.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB FTW97FA295
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:22 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 08-Apr-2024 13:47 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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