Von Claparede Clemen PRECEPTOR-ULTRA N66VC

Summary

On 29 September 2001 at about 20:50 local time, a Von Claparede Clemen PRECEPTOR-ULTRA registered N66VC was involved in an accident near Dublin, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 September 2001 at 20:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Dublin, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

37.2350, -80.6169

Aircraft

Von Claparede Clemen PRECEPTOR-ULTRA

Registration

N66VC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Dublin → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD01LA108

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance, which resulted in the airplane's collision with terrain. A factor was the downdraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot approached a mountain ridge at a 45-degree angle, "at the same altitude as the ridge." As he flew closer to the ridge, the airplane experienced a "modest downdraft," and the pilot added power to maintain his altitude. When the pilot noticed that he would not be able to climb over the ridge, he turned the airplane back toward the valley to regain altitude. During the turn, the airplane experienced a "substantial downdraft combined with windshear." The pilot added full power; however, the airplane's altitude continued to decrease at about 2,500 feet per minute, and the airplane impacted trees. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane. The winds reported at an airport 5 miles away were from 330 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 15 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.