Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents
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2310 Total Accidents
425 Fatal
816 Fatalities
1982-2026
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2 Fatal
GILL, Colorado
NTSB Narrative
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On March 13, 1999, at 1848 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172, N6085A, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it collided with terrain about 11 miles east of Gill, Colorado, near the community of Barnesville. The private pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Greeley, Colorado, approximately 1730.
George D. Aunger, the passenger aboard N6085A, had expressed an interest in learning to fly to his friend, James D. Papka, the pilot. Mr. Papka offered to take him flying in his airplane, and Mr. Aunger accepted. According to Parts America, Mr. Aunger finished work on the afternoon of the accident and clocked out at 1630.
No one saw N6085A take off. Several people reported seeing the pilot earlier in the afternoon. The accident occurred shortly after dusk at the location 40 degrees, 26.41 minutes north latitude; 104 degrees, 21.80 minutes west longitude.
PERSONNEL (CREW) INFORMATION
The pilot, James D. Papka, age 56, was born on December 13, 1942. He held Private Pilot Certificate No. 502424007, dated January 22, 1997, with an airplane single-engine land rating. He also held a second class airman medical certificate, dated December 2, 1997, with a restriction for near vision.
Mr. Papka's flight logbook contained entries from September 27, 1995, to March 6, 1999 (a summary of his flight time can be found on page 3 of this report). Of the 473.8 total flight hours recorded, 459.7 hours were in the Cessna 172, and 418.9 hours were accumulated in N6085A. His most recent biennial flight review was accomplished on January 29, 1999. In his logbook he wrote, "BFR - first loop - first barrel roll - BFR good." According to the flight instructor who administered the flight review, he "demonstrated" these maneuvers to the pilot and cautioned him not to attempt the maneuvers by himself. According to the manufacturer and FAA certification documents, spins, loops, and rolls are prohibited in the Cessna 172.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
N6085A (s.n. 28685) was manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Company in 1956. It was equipped with a Teledyne Continental O-300-A engine (s.n. 15737-D-4-A-R), rated at 145 horsepower, and a McCauley 2-blade, all metal, fixed pitch propeller (m.n. 1A170/DM7651, s.n. 56211).
The last annual/100-hour maintenance inspections were performed April 1, 1998, at a tachometer/total airframe and engine time of 4,367.0 hours. At that time, the engine had accrued 1,509.0 hours since major overhaul.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
GXY 0055Z (1855 MST): Wind, 170 degrees at 4 knots; visibility, 10 s.m.; sky, clear at or below 12,000 feet; temperature, 9 degrees C. (48.2 degrees F.); dew point, -4 degrees C. (24.8 degrees F.); altimeter, 30.06 inches of mercury.
According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, official sunset occur
On March 13, 1999, at 1848 mountain standard time, a Cessna 172, N6085A, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it collided with terrain about 11 miles east of Gill, Colorado, near the community of Barnesville. The private pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight had been filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Greeley, Colorado, approximately 1730.
George D. Aunger, the passenger aboard N6085A, had expressed an interest in learning to fly to his friend, James D. Papka, the pilot. Mr. Papka offered to take him flying in his airplane, and Mr. Aunger accepted. According to Parts America, Mr. Aunger finished work on the afternoon of the accident and clocked out at 1630.
No one saw N6085A take off. Several people reported seeing the pilot earlier in the afternoon. The accident occurred shortly after dusk at the location 40 degrees, 26.41 minutes north latitude; 104 degrees, 21.80 minutes west longitude.
PERSONNEL (CREW) INFORMATION
The pilot, James D. Papka, age 56, was born on December 13, 1942. He held Private Pilot Certificate No. 502424007, dated January 22, 1997, with an airplane single-engine land rating. He also held a second class airman medical certificate, dated December 2, 1997, with a restriction for near vision.
Mr. Papka's flight logbook contained entries from September 27, 1995, to March 6, 1999 (a summary of his flight time can be found on page 3 of this report). Of the 473.8 total flight hours recorded, 459.7 hours were in the Cessna 172, and 418.9 hours were accumulated in N6085A. His most recent biennial flight review was accomplished on January 29, 1999. In his logbook he wrote, "BFR - first loop - first barrel roll - BFR good." According to the flight instructor who administered the flight review, he "demonstrated" these maneuvers to the pilot and cautioned him not to attempt the maneuvers by himself. According to the manufacturer and FAA certification documents, spins, loops, and rolls are prohibited in the Cessna 172.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
N6085A (s.n. 28685) was manufactured by the Cessna Aircraft Company in 1956. It was equipped with a Teledyne Continental O-300-A engine (s.n. 15737-D-4-A-R), rated at 145 horsepower, and a McCauley 2-blade, all metal, fixed pitch propeller (m.n. 1A170/DM7651, s.n. 56211).
The last annual/100-hour maintenance inspections were performed April 1, 1998, at a tachometer/total airframe and engine time of 4,367.0 hours. At that time, the engine had accrued 1,509.0 hours since major overhaul.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
GXY 0055Z (1855 MST): Wind, 170 degrees at 4 knots; visibility, 10 s.m.; sky, clear at or below 12,000 feet; temperature, 9 degrees C. (48.2 degrees F.); dew point, -4 degrees C. (24.8 degrees F.); altimeter, 30.06 inches of mercury.
According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, official sunset occur
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Details
| NTSB Report | DEN99FA051 |
| Aircraft | Cessna 172 |
| Registration | N6085A |
| Damage | DEST |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Location | 40.6493, -105.0292 |
