Alon AIRCOUPE A-2 accident near Cody, WY
On July 4, 1995, an Alon AIRCOUPE A-2 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Cody, WY. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 4, 1995
- Place
- Cody, WY
- Aircraft
- Alon AIRCOUPE A-2 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 44.510°N, 109.051°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X04080
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 4, 1995, approximately 1150 mountain daylight time, an Alon A-2 Aircoupe, N718RS, collided with trees while attempting to reverse course in a mountain canyon about 55 miles west of Cody, Wyoming. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, received fatal injuries, and the aircraft was destroyed. The aircraft, which was part of a three ship personal pleasure flight, was being operated in visual meteorological conditions. The three aircraft departed Cody, Wyoming about 55 minutes earlier, and were en route to Butte, Montana. No flight plan had been filed, and the ELT was reported to have transmitted for about one minute after the impact. According to the other pilots in the flight, all three aircraft were attempting to fly over Sylvan Pass, about 10 miles west of the east gate of Yellowstone National Park. As they approached the pass, the lead aircraft began to lose altitude in the downdrafts they were beginning to encounter on the leeward side of the pass. The first two aircraft were in the process of reversing course when the lead aircraft impacted the trees. The pilot of the aircraft immediately in trail behind the accident aircraft stated that N718RS had turned to follow the road toward the pass. At that time, he lost sight of the aircraft. The third aircraft was about 1 to 2 miles in trail behind the second aircraft. The pilot of the second aircraft noted that terrain in the area was rising rapidly and he checked his altitude at about 8500 to 8600 feet. The accident aircraft was at about the same altitude, but was appearing to descend at a fai
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING TO REVERSE COURSE. A FACTOR WAS THE DOWNDRAFTS ENCOUNTERED IN THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
