Aviat A-1 N8HU

Summary

On 23 August 2001 at about 21:30 local time, a Aviat A-1 registered N8HU was involved in an accident near Montrose, 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

23 August 2001 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Montrose, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Private (0CO6)

Coordinates

38.2153, -108.2189

Aircraft

Aviat A-1

Registration

N8HU

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Montrose → Norwood

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN01FA151

2 people died.

the pilot's intentional abrupt maneuver immediately after takeoff and the subsequent loss of aircraft control. Contributing factors were high density altitude weather conditions, and the airplane improper weight and balance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was observed making a slow, very steep, very low right hand turn to runway 10 (elevation7,862 feet). It was not determined if the 20,000 hour pilot had every flown this airplane before; the airplane's owner was in the back seat. The airplane first impacted terrain with its right wing tip, and then its engine. It was determined that the aircraft was over its maximum certificated gross weight at the time of the accident. The density altitude was calculated to be 11,155 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.