Globe GC-1B N3783K

Summary

On 27 July 1993 at about 19:00 local time, a Globe GC-1B registered N3783K was involved in an accident near Durango, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 July 1993 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Durango, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

37.2693, -107.8808

Aircraft

Globe GC-1B

Registration

N3783K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN93FA089

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S ENTRY INTO A BOX CANYON AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE ON A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE PILOT DECIDED TO FLY TO PURGATORY, CO, A TRIP HE SAID HE HAD MADE 'MANY TIMES BEFORE.' HE TURNED LEFT INTO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS THE HERMOSA CREEK DRAINAGE, BUT WAS ACTUALLY THE BUCK CREEK DRAINAGE, AT APPROXIMATELY 6,500 FEET MSL. WHEN HE SAW THE HIGH TERRAIN ON BOTH SIDES AND IN FRONT OF THE AIRPLANE, HE REALIZED HE HAD MADE A MISTAKE, AND HE IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE CLIMB. AS THE AIRPLANE NEARED THE END OF THE CANYON, THE PILOT DECIDED NOT TO RISK STALLING THE AIRPLANE BY ATTEMPTING TO TURN AROUND. INSTEAD, HE SLOWED THE AIRPLANE TO JUST ABOVE STALL SPEED. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE TOPS OF TREES, SPUN AROUND, AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PASSENGER'S FATAL INJURIES WERE DUE TO POST IMPACT FIRE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.