Gulfstream American AA-5A N26930

Summary

On 7 September 2008 at about 18:10 local time, a Gulfstream American AA-5A registered N26930, operated by Underwood Aerial Patrol Inc., was involved in an accident near Baxter Pass, 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

7 September 2008 at 18:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Baxter Pass, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.5647, -108.9131

Aircraft

Gulfstream American AA-5A

Registration

N26930

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Underwood Aerial Patrol Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Moab → Rock Springs

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

NTSB number

DEN08FA152

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a turn, resulting in an unrecoverable aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witness statements and recovered GPS data revealed that the commercial pilot and passenger were conducting aerial patrol of an underground pipeline. GPS data overlaid on a map of the pipeline route indicate that the pilot flew a track that was offset to the right of the pipeline, and then initiate a 90-degree left turn during the last 30 seconds of flight. During the offset and start of the turn, the airplane climbed 102 feet and decelerated from 95 miles per hour to 67 miles per hour. Density altitude was about 9,350 feet. Impact signatures and wreckage distribution indicated the airplane impacted terrain in a steep nose-low attitude, consistent with an aerodynamic stall. Examination of the wreckage showed no evidence of any pre-impact mechanical anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.