Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On June 29, 2003, approximately 1530 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 210K, N8264M, piloted by a commercial pilot, was substantially damaged when it departed the right side of runway 01 (5,010 feet by 50 feet, dry asphalt) while landing at the Durango-Animas Air Park (00C), Durango, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal cross-country flight was being conducted on an instrument flight rules flight plan under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot received minor injuries. The flight departed Grand Island, Nebraska, approximately 1200 central daylight time.

In his written statement, the pilot said he was making a right-hand traffic pattern for landing on runway 01. The pilot said as he was coming in, his altitude was high. The pilot said, "I put on full flaps and [the] descent increased to the point [that] I decided to go around. The plane continued to descend and the stall horn started to sound. I reduced [the] flaps to 10 deg[rees] and then bounced off [the] rw (runway) where a 90 degree crosswind turned the plane towards a hangar." The pilot said he turned the airplane back toward the runway, but "it wouldn't fly and fell to the ground."

An examination of the airplane showed substantial damage to the firewall, horizontal stabilizer, and right wing spar. Flight control continuity was confirmed. An examination of the engine, engine controls, and other airplane systems revealed no anomalies.

At the time of the accident, the winds recorded at the Durango-La Plata County Airport, 120 degrees at 7 miles from 00C, were 270 degrees at 18 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The density altitude was determined as 9,942 feet msl. the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision and his failure to maintain aircraft control. Factors contributing to the accident were the high altitude on base turn and final approach, the low airspeed, the pilot's improper use of flaps, the inadvertent stall, the pilot's failure to recover from the bounced landing, the gusting crosswinds, and the high density altitude.