Accident Details
On June 1, 2014, at 1426 mountain daylight time, a Cirrus SR22 airplane, registration N583KM, impacted terrain while on approach to Animas Air Park (00C) in Durango, Colorado. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight, originating from Santa Monica Municipal Airport (SMO) at 1116. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Approach and Go-Around
Just prior to landing on Runway 01, the pilot encountered a strong downward gust, described as a dust devil. He applied power to go around but perceived that the engine did not respond normally. The airplane subsequently struck the ground left of the runway. The left and right leading edges of the wing and the vertical stabilizer were damaged after colliding with ground obstacles. The pilot reported that the mixture might have been too rich during the go-around attempt.
Weather and Terrain
The weather observation station at Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO), about 6 miles southeast of 00C, reported at 1353: wind 270 degrees at 16 knots with gusts to 24 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 27°C, dew point -14°C, altimeter 30.08 inches. Density altitude at 00C was calculated as 9,376 feet. Terrain rises quickly west of 00C, with a significant elevation drop prior to the approach end of Runway 01. According to the airport manager, large sink rates often occur near the threshold of Runway 01 when strong westerly winds are present.
Pilot Experience
The student pilot’s home airport was SMO, where he flew nearly all of his 183 hours of flight training in southern California. He was not cleared for a solo flight to 00C and had never flown into that airport before. His flight instructor had written "all solo flights require instructor release" in his logbook endorsements.
Engine Examination
Review of recorded engine data showed the engine remained running during the event, but fuel flow may have been too high for the field elevation and density altitude. Post-accident examination revealed all sparkplugs covered in thick, black soot, consistent with carbon fouling from a too-rich mixture. Cylinder components examined via borescope showed no anomalies but were covered in dark soot. After cleaning and replacing sparkplugs, the engine was test-run using the airplane’s fuel supply and a substitute tank; it ran normally through various power settings, including full power, with no anomalies.