Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On December 22, 2008, at 1220 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-46-310P, N46SB, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it collided with terrain following a loss of control during an instrument landing system (ILS) runway 10 approach to the Yampa Valley Airport (HDN), Hayden, Colorado. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The private pilot-in-command and commercial pilot on board the airplane were fatally injured. The cross-country flight originated at Hutchison (HUT), Kansas, at 1010 central standard time, and was en route to HDN.

The two pilots, husband and wife, had flown to HUT on December 7 to have an annual inspection performed on their airplane. They rented an automobile and returned home to Steamboat Springs, Colorado. When told the airplane was ready for pickup, they returned to HUT. The accident occurred as they were flying back to HDN.

The pilot obtained a weather briefing on the evening of December 21, and again at 0917 cst on the morning of December 22. In the latter briefing, he was told there was a stationary front along the Front Range, and a large low pressure area aloft approaching Colorado from the northern Rockies. These conditions were bringing deteriorating conditions including moisture --– mist, increasing snow, and fog --– and mountain obscuration due to clouds and precipitation. There were several AIRMETs (Airman Meteorological Information) in effect, one for marginal VFR (visual flight rules) and IFR conditions in Colorado, another for moderate turbulence below 18,000 feet, and another for moderate icing below 20,000 feet\1.

According to air traffic control (ATC) documents, an IFR release was issued for N46SB at 1010 cst. Radio contact with the flight was established at 1012 cst, and radar contact was made at 1013 cst. En route altitudes varied from 12,000 feet to FL200 (flight level 20,000 feet). At 1052:18 cst, the second pilot\2, hereinafter referred to as the pilot, reported they were accumulating light rime ice at 12,000. She then corrected herself and reported it was “trace” icing. At 1135:13 mst\3, Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) cleared the flight direct to the Hayden VOR-DME (Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range, Distance Measuring Equipment). Other than for some deviations due to weather and clouds, the flight proceeded uneventfully to HDN.

At 1149:07, the flight was cleared direct to INEDE, the initial approach fix (IAF) for the ILS approach to runway 10. The pilot declined the controller’s request for a possible visual approach, citing that they were flying "in and out" of the clouds. Approach clearance was issued at 1211:10.

Radar showed the airplane proceeding outbound for the procedure turn. At 1216:55, the pilot re