Cessna 340 accident near Alamosa, Colorado, March 20, 2001
On March 20, 2001 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 340, registered N9940F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alamosa, Colorado (San Luis Valley Regional airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The in-flight collision with a large bird during downwind approach for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2001 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Alamosa, Colorado · San Luis Valley Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- N9940F · registry record · serial 340-0173
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he had just passed over the airport at 9500 feet mean sea level and entered the downwind leg for the approach to runway 20. At that moment he encountered a flock of large birds that flew up from below. One bird struck the leading edge of the right wing at approximately 3 feet inboard of the tip tank. The pilot declared an emergency and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing's leading edge, skin, wing spar and auxiliary fuel cells. At the time of the accident, winds were light and variable at 3 knots. The bird was identified as an adult sand hill crane.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,349 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: November 17, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,429.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2000; 79.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,290 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSO 520 NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDC Cedar City UT at 2:30 pm
- Destination: Alamosa CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 20, 8,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.30 inHg
- Observation at 5:52 pm from KALS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.
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.