Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On June 22, 1999, approximately 1130 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 170, N4163V, registered to and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged after colliding with terrain during landing roll at Animas Air Park, Durango, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. The aircraft was being operated as a personal cross-country flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Lamar, Colorado, at 0700. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

According to the pilot, he approached the airport from the south for landing and listened to Durango-La Plata County Airport's Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS), located 6.3 nautical miles to the southeast. The wind was reported to be light and variable. During his first attempt to land on runway 19, the approach was too high and he performed a go around. During his second landing attempt, he bounced once, and decided to go around again.

His third landing was successful; however upon touching down, the aircraft began to depart the right side of the runway. The right wheel exited the pavement, and he was unable to return completely back onto the runway. The airplane continued to the right, and the aircraft traveled at a high speed through sagebrush. In attempting to maneuver the aircraft back onto the runway, the airplane skidded sideways towards the west at a 90 degree angle from the runway. The aircraft tilted onto its left side with the right wingtip in the air. The left wingtip impacted the ground, bounced back, and the airplane then came to rest in an upright position. During the landing sequence, the aircraft sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer, elevator, left wing tip, and wing spar extension.

During the third landing attempt, the pilot stated that the aircraft's indicated airspeed was 60 knots, and the ground speed was approximately 85 knots. Density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated to be 9,422 feet. The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing roll. A factor was the high density altitude and the high vegetation (sagebrush).