Lancair 320 N360GB

Summary

On 31 July 1997 at about 20:20 local time, a Lancair 320 registered N360GB was involved in an accident near Dillon, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 July 1997 at 20:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Dillon, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.6200, -106.0302

Aircraft

Lancair 320

Registration

N360GB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Concord → Oshkosh

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW97FA295

2 people died.

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.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.