Summary
On July 31, 2018, a Buchanan Kitfox IV (N125TY) was involved in an accident near Loma, CO. The accident resulted in 1 minor injury. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this accident to be: The pilot's improper decision to conduct a low-altitude flight over a river and his inadequate monitoring of the environment, which resulted in a collision with a cableway.
On July 31, 2018, about 1130 mountain daylight time, a Buchanan Kitfox IV experimental airplane, N125TY, impacted a cableway while maneuvering at low altitude over the Colorado River near Loma, Colorado. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the flight was operated on a visual flight rules flight plan.
This accident is documented in NTSB report CEN18LA303. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N125TY.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper decision to conduct a low-altitude flight over a river and his inadequate monitoring of the environment, which resulted in a collision with a cableway.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Current)
Analysis
On July 31, 2018, about 1130 mountain daylight time, a Buchanan Kitfox IV experimental airplane, N125TY, impacted a cableway while maneuvering at low altitude over the Colorado River near Loma, Colorado. The private pilot sustained minor injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and the flight was operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. The airplane departed the Grand Junction Regional Airport (GJT), Grand Junction, Colorado, about 1100, and was destined for Cedar City, Utah.
According to the pilot, he departed GJT and elected to fly at low altitude over the Colorado River. After over passing a group of river rafters about 500 ft above ground level, the pilot "dropped [the airplane] low to the river." Shortly after descending, the airplane's vertical stabilizer struck a cableway (owned and maintained by the US Geological Survey (USGS)) that crossed over the river. The pilot lost control of the airplane, and the airplane impacted the side of the river canyon. The airplane came to rest partially submerged in the river, and the pilot was rescued by passing river rafters (Figure 1).
Figure 1 - Accident Site (photo provided by Mesa County Sheriff's Office)
According to the USGS, the cableway is supported by two fixed A-frame structures located on the sides of the riverbank. The center of the cable to the water surface is 32 ft (Figure 2).
Figure 2 - Cableway dimensions (USGS)
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN18LA303