NTSB Factual Report

On June 30, 2012, about 0920 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N917SA, collided with trees and terrain during a climb to cruise near Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, reported minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial left wing and empennage damage. The airplane was registered to Wings Up LLC and was operated by Rocky Mountain Flight School as a rental airplane to the pilot for a personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual flight rules (VFR) conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a VFR flight plan. The flight originated from the Glenwood Springs Municipal Airport (GWS), near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, about 0912, and was destined for the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), near Denver, Colorado.

According to the pilot, he received a full weather briefing and filed a "round robin" flight plan for a flight from BJC to GWS and returning to BJC. The pilot used flight following with air traffic controllers during the flight from BJC to GWS and that portion of the round robin was conducted without incident. The pilot was at GWS about 20 minutes. The pilot did not note any airplane anomalies during the startup, run-up, and takeoff. The pilot reported that it was a clear, calm morning, and he made the decision to fly on the left side of the canyon. The pilot recalled making various power increases and changes to the climb in response to the rising terrain. The pilot indicated that the power increases did not seem to be helping the climb, so he slowed the airplane to 70 knots indicated airspeed to minimize the turnaround radius. The pilot reported that his memory was "extremely fuzzy" at this point due to his injuries. He did recall continuing to increase power while the aircraft did not seem to be responding in reference to the rising terrain. He stated that he slowed the airplane a little more to make the turnaround and remembered feeling/seeing the aircraft hit a tree.

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors examined the wreckage. The examination revealed no anomalies with the flight controls and engine.

The pilot held a FAA private pilot certificate with an airplane single engine land rating. The pilot reported that he was issued a third-class FAA airman medical certificate, with limitations for wearing corrective lenses, on November 11, 2009. He further indicated that he had accumulated 136 hours of total flight time and 56 hours of pilot in command flight time. The pilot stated he had received instruction on assessing canyons from a previous mountain flight. The pilot did not indicate that he attended a recognized mountain flying courses.

The 2002 Cessna 172S, serial number 172S9177, was a single-engine, four-seat airplane. According to its type certificate data sheet, the airplane was powered by a Lycoming IO-360-L2A, engine, rated at 180 horsepower at 2,700 rpm. The pilot reported that the airplane accumulated 2,025 hours of total time at the time of the accident and indicated that the airframe received its last 100-hour inspection on June 29, 2012.

The Cessna 172S pilot operating handbook listed maximum rates of climb at a gross weight of 2,550 pounds. At a standard temperature and a pressure altitude of 6,000 feet, 8,000 feet, and 10,000 feet, the listed maximum rate of climb was 515, 405, and 300 feet per minute respectively. At 20 degrees C warmer than standard temperature and a pressure altitude of 6,000 feet, 8,000 feet, and 10,000 feet the, the listed maximum rate of climb was 450, 345, and 240 feet per minute respectively.

The weather station near Sunrise, Colorado, located about 12 nautical miles and 200 degrees from the accident site, had an elevation of about 10,567 feet above sea level. At 0947, the recorded weather there was: Wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 18 degrees C; dew point 1 degree C; altimeter 30.54 inches of mercury. The recording station had a calculated density altitude of 12,666.4 feet. The standard temperature for 10,000 feet was -4.8 degrees C. The temperature there was about 22.8 degrees warmer than standard.

The Eagle County Regional Airport, near Eagle, Colorado, located about 17.5 nautical miles and 82 degrees from the accident site, had an elevation of about 6,547.4 feet above sea level. At 0850, the recorded weather there was: Wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition clear; temperature 17 degrees C; dew point 1 degree C; altimeter 30.21 inches of mercury. The recording station had a calculated density altitude of 8,075.5 feet. The standard temperature for 6,500 feet was about 2 degrees C. The temperature there was about 15 degrees warmer than standard.

The pilot had a Go Pro HD2-14 camera in the cockpit. The camera was found near the accident site and the camera did not contain its secure data card. The pilot was asked for the card and the card was subsequently forwarded to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Recorder Laboratory for downloading and decoding.

The secure data card contained a file that included a recorded video of the accident flight. The video was reviewed and a study was prepared. No airplane or engine anomalies were noted when the airplane was observed to impact trees on rising terrain. The NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory cockpit video recorder study is appended to the docket associated with this investigation.

The FAA publication titled, Tips on Mountain Flying, in part, stated:

Pilot Requirements

Because of the more demanding nature of mountain flying, you

should carefully consider your experience and background

before beginning a flight into mountainous terrain. First, it is

essential that you consider attending a recognized mountain

flying course to give you the knowledge and skills you will need

to be safe. ...

Second, it is usually a good idea to wait until you have at

least 150 hours of pilot in command time logged before taking

mountain training. Pilots with this amount of time have usually

had time to become more familiar and comfortable with the

airplane and with planning flying trips. Mountain flying in many

areas will stretch your abilities to fly the airplane

proficiently, navigate, and deal with weather.

Aircraft Requirements

Mountain flying presents demands on both the pilot and the

airplane that may require more performance than light training

aircraft have to offer. There are, of course, stories that are

told during hangar flying about flying very low power airplanes

into high mountain airports. 160 horsepower should be

considered minimum for the airplane with a pilot with minimum

mountain experience. Even that, however, will greatly limit your

ability to react to strong winds and the up and down drafts they

may cause.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's decision to fly into a mountainous area where conditions were such that the airplane was unable to climb above rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's insufficient pilot-in-command experience and inadequate training in mountain flying.