The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association Air Safety Institute (ASI) has released a new episode in its Accident Case Study video series: Into Thin Air, which recreates the events that led a Beechcraft Bonanza G36 to crash shortly after departing Aspen, Colorado, on its way to the pilot’s East Coast home base.
“Density altitude affects every airplane. We are taught about it, but it’s an abstract concept until we experience it in context,” said ASI Senior Vice President Richard McSpadden. “The Bonanza’s encounter with high-density altitude — an inherent hazard in high terrain that significantly degrades aircraft performance — coupled with deceptively upsloping terrain left no escape for the two flatland pilots attempting to fly up and over an unknown canyon.”
Accident Case Studies use FAA air traffic control radio communication transcripts, National Transportation Safety Board documentation, and video animation to track each accident’s chain of events. The videos share critical lessons to help pilots recognize and avoid similar mistakes, ASI officials add
To see the full video, you must create a free account at AOPA.or or log into your account.
No straight flight in the mountains. Need to pick your way through the low points with plenty of time to climb above the pass altitude. Don’t stay high with out oxygen.
The Rockies are not forgiving for mistakes in judgment by the pilot. They just killed a very experienced pilot.
Very common location, aircraft make, and result. Leave in late morning after shopping, brunch, fueling and overestimating their plane’s capability, never get out of ground effect before leaving the end of the runway . As mentioned…”flatlander”.
This was a mid-way stop from the west coast. Not familiar with the area, didn’t pay attention to IFR routes on any map, probably didn’t bother asking locals for recommended routes, probably didn’t even bother looking at a map.
It aint just DA folks…Even in cold weather, the route they took was a mistake from the beginning.