At approximately 1259 Mountain time, the airplane was destroyed upon impact with terrain. The private pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. One witness, located just outside the airport perimeter, watched the airplane climb to 200-300 feet agl before the pilot began a left turn with the airplane still in a nose-high attitude. The airplane continued to turn until it reached almost 180 degrees of heading change before the airplanes nose dropped sharply. The airplane continued a dive towards the ground before the witness lost sight of the airplane behind rolling terrain. When the witness regained sight of the airplane, a fire had started around the engine section. Another witness stated the nose-high attitude seemed steeper than a normal takeoff and that the nose high attitude continued through the turn until near 180 degrees of heading change, when the airplanes left wing dropped sharply. The witness equated flight path as similar to a “cropdusters turn” to reverse course.
June 29, 2008, Santa Rosa, N.M., Cessna U206F
At approximately 1259 Mountain time, the airplane was destroyed upon impact with terrain. The private pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. One witness, located just outside the airport perimeter, watched the airplane climb to 200-300 feet agl before the pilot began a left turn with the airplane still in a nose-high attitude. The airplane continued to turn until it reached almost 180 degrees of heading change before the airplanes nose dropped sharply. The airplane continued a dive towards the ground before the witness lost sight of the airplane behind rolling terrain.
Key Takeaways:
- A private pilot and four passengers were fatally injured when their airplane crashed and was destroyed upon impact with terrain, with a fire starting around the engine section.
- Witnesses observed the airplane climb to 200-300 feet AGL before initiating an unusually steep, nose-high left turn that continued for nearly 180 degrees.
- During this turn, the airplane's nose or left wing dropped sharply, leading to a rapid dive into the ground.
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