Low-Altitude Maneuvering · NTSB CEN11FA444
BOEING B75N1 — Wetmore, CO
| Date | July 3, 2011 |
| Location | Wetmore, CO |
| Aircraft | BOEING B75N1 |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Day · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Maneuvering-low-alt flying Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 50 |
| Pilot total time | 1,500 hrs · Experienced |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 1, 1 serious |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at low altitude.
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Altitude-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Attention/monitoring-Task monitoring/vigilance-Pilot - C
What happened
According to the passenger, the pilot was maneuvering the airplane at low altitude in mountainous terrain. The passenger reported that the pilot was flying the airplane “low and slow,” the airplane’s bank angle began to increase, and the airplane descended and collided with trees. A postimpact fire consumed a majority of the wreckage. An examination did not find any anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.