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| Date: | Sunday 10 March 2002 |
| Time: | 20:19 |
| Type: |  Mooney M20C Ranger |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N1323D |
| MSN: | 2681 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1964 |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360-A1B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Glenwood Sprngs, CO -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Kremmling Airport, CO (20V) |
| Grand Junction Regional Airport, CO (GJT/KGJT) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On March 10, 2002, at 2019 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20C, N1323D, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain about 16 miles north-northeast of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being operated under Title 14 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 91. The flight originated at Kremmling, Colorado, approximately 1946, and was en route to Grand Junction, Colorado.
After visiting his girlfriend, the non-instrument rated private pilot took off in dark night visual meteorological conditions to return home. When he failed to arrive, a search was initiated and the wreckage was found 2 days later in deep snow in mountainous terrain. According to recorded radar data at two different sites, a target departed the airport and climbed to 13,900 feet msl and took up a direct heading toward what would have been the pilot's planned destination. Halfway there, the target made a wide circle to the left of approximately 450 degrees, followed immediately by a tight circle to the right of approximately 360 degrees. The difference in time and altitude between the last two radar "hits" 14 seconds and 3,000 feet, respectively, equates to a 12,857 foot per minute rate of descent.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation, resulting in a collision with terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of an instrument rating and the dark night conditions.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20020321X00377&key=1
https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54344
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ] |
| 09-Dec-2017 15:51 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative, ] |
| 13-Dec-2024 14:38 | Captain Adam | Updated [Aircraft type, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Photo, ] |
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