Champion 8KCAB accident near Estes Park, Colorado, July 8, 2010
On July 8, 2010 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Champion 8KCAB, registered N56BC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Estes Park, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude in mountainous terrain and weather conditions conducive to downdrafts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2010 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Estes Park, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 8KCAB NO SERIES · all 8KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N56BC · registry record · serial 1088-2009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that when he was trying to fly across a mountain pass, the airplane encountered a strong downdraft. The pilot added full power but was unable to stop the airplane’s descent, so he performed a forced landing in a heavily forested area. No preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures were found that would have precluded normal operation. A review of weather radar and satellite imagery showed convective development at the accident location just before the accident. Postaccident interviews with personnel at the departure airport indicated that the pilot stated that he had not flown in the mountains before and that he took off despite warnings about the current weather and related mountain flying hazards.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Other weather encounter during maneuvering
- Other weather encounter during uncontrolled descent
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Capability exceeded
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,420 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 11,756 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 137 hours in all; 56 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 21, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 46 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-H1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GXY Greeley CO at 5:30 pm
- Destination: ASE Aspen CO
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 6:36 pm from K20V, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N56BC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.