Cirrus Design Corp. SR20 accident near Kremmling, Colorado, August 16, 2006
On August 16, 2006 at about 4:20 am local time, a Cirrus Design Corp. SR20, registered N8127J, was destroyed in an accident near Kremmling, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to properly execute the published missed approach procedure resulting in an impact with mountainous terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's attempted flight into known adverse weather conditions, failure to obtain the UNICOM frequency during the approach which resulted in the pilot's failure to illuminate the runway lights, and the pressure induced on the pilot by the night, weather and terrain conditions encountered during the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2006 · about 4:20 am local time
- Place
- Kremmling, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cirrus Design Corp. SR20
- Registration
- N8127J · no longer on the register · serial 1350
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering in night visual meteorological conditions, the airplane impacted mountainous terrain and was destroyed by impact forces. Prior to departure, the pilot obtained a weather briefing which reported thunderstorms and moderate to severe precipitation along the intended route of flight. During the flight, the pilot inquired to air traffic control on several occasions that he thought about diverting; however, he elected to continue along the route of flight until the weather conditions deteriorated to a point that he decided to divert. After diverting to an alternate airport, the pilot attempted a non-precision approach. During the approach, the pilot failed to turn on the runway lights, which were to be activated by the pilot through the UNICOM frequency. A witness observed the airplane over fly the runway and the runway lights were not illuminated. Because the pilot could not see the runway during the approach, he executed a missed approach; however, he did not fly the published missed approach procedure resulting in an impact with mountainous terrain. Rescue personnel reported that the pilot stated he was "flying last night in bad weather, it was a stupid thing to do and he should not have been flying." The accident site was located on rock and sagebrush covered terrain at an elevation of 8,350 feet approximately 4 miles west from the runway threshold. At the time of the accident, the weather conditions at the airport were reported as visibility 10 statute miles, rain, scattered clouds at 3,300 feet, and density altitude of approximately 9,500 feet. The pilot had accumulated approximately 20 hours in the accident airplane make and model, 11 night flight hours, and no actual instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) flight experience as a single pilot. No anomalies were noted with the airframe and engine.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 275 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 228 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 897.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 2006; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental IO-360-ES 6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: West Valley Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: CDC Cedar City UT at 1:00 am
- Destination: BJC Denver CO
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 3,300 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 4:31 am from 20V, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.