I find accident and analysis reports very informative and use them to improve my decision making if I find myself in a similar position. This particular tragic accident happened at an airport I used to frequent: http://www.aopa.org/Pilot-Resources/Saf ... 0207epilot
I tend to agree with the analysis that over confidence was the overriding cause. There are signs in the FBO and on the taxiway warning about rapidly rising terrain to the south. Density altitude warnings are equally prevalent. Throw in winds gusting to 47 kts with lenticular clouds on the peaks and it's hard to fathom what the pilot was thinking. It also looks like he was over gross.
I've flown into Angle Fire around 20 times in 160hp 172, 180hp Cherokee, and 300hp Bellanca. The Mooney probably has a service ceiling of 17k which sits halfway between my Cherokee and Bellanca. Even in a lightly loaded Bellanca I never took off to the south. All the pilots I knew flying into AXX with normally aspirated planes treated the airport as one-way. One also tended to stay on the ground once surface winds hit 20kts since this would translate to 40kts or above at the peaks.
AXX accident
Moderator: drseti
Re: AXX accident
On my first visit to AXX I landed downhill due to odd winds. I actually lined up on downwind for 17 and then observed the winsock, and crossed the field for opposite downwind. When winds are low, it's not all that bad. I only had to use the lake trick once, in a Cherokee with 140 hp. One time I was there with a mountain instructor, Mr. Marc Coan, in a Remos GX LSA. Winds were typical. We took off to the north, crossed the lake, and he showed me how to hug the opposite side of the valley. To the best of my recollection we were breaking 1500 fpm easily.
You know what's sad about the Mooney guy: he could've been fine if he either took off in correct direction or weren't loaded wrong. Could've just waited, too.
The previous crash like that was a Cherokee Six. That guy got off easily, because he put a wingtip into snow bank before flying. The wreck was at the airport for a few weeks and the pilot side window was busted from the inside by the noggin of the bonehead. Ironically the aforementioned Remos that I rented also flew in and was parked due to winds when he crashed. Renters took out a car and drove out to Santa Fe. That, I think, demonstrates that options exist other than crashing the airplane when Angel Fire winds pick up.
You know what's sad about the Mooney guy: he could've been fine if he either took off in correct direction or weren't loaded wrong. Could've just waited, too.
The previous crash like that was a Cherokee Six. That guy got off easily, because he put a wingtip into snow bank before flying. The wreck was at the airport for a few weeks and the pilot side window was busted from the inside by the noggin of the bonehead. Ironically the aforementioned Remos that I rented also flew in and was parked due to winds when he crashed. Renters took out a car and drove out to Santa Fe. That, I think, demonstrates that options exist other than crashing the airplane when Angel Fire winds pick up.