Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 13, 2012, approximately 0920 mountain daylight time, a Mooney M20P, N58119, registered to Occuhealth INC., of Hurdle Mills, North Carolina, sustained substantial damage when it crashed in rugged mountainous terrain (12,300 feet MSL) while climbing over the San Isabel National Forest, Colorado. Both occupants, the pilot and his pilot rated passenger, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed along the enroute portion of the flight, however, obscuration and fog were observed to be present near the accident area. A flight plan was not filed for the cross-country flight being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from the Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB) approximately 0820, and was enroute to its intended destination of Reno, Nevada, when the accident occurred. An ALNOT was issued when the airplane did not arrive at its intended destination.

On September 15, 2012, after an extensive air and ground search, coordinated by the Huerfano County Sheriff's Department, the airplane's wreckage was reached by ground personnel near the top of a ridgeline at 37:20.25 N latitude 105:10.02 W longitude, at an elevation of 12,300 feet. The wreckage was found on a steep upslope and there was evidence of a post-impact fire that consumed most of the cabin area. The victims were removed and transported to the county coroner's office.

Radar data provided by the FAA showed the flight track of the airplane in a steady climb, heading south after takeoff from Pueblo. The airplane then turned to the southwest and then to the west and was climbing throughout its course, which was a typical route of flight for light airplanes enroute to destinations west of the Pueblo airport. The last radar target, about 2.8 miles east of the accident site, showed the airplane in a slow climb, about 11,200 feet MSL, heading west.

There were no witnesses to the accident. Once the ALNOT was issued, rescue personnel mobilized and began searching the presumed route of flight over the mountains, southwest of Pueblo Airport. Initial reports from ground personnel indicated that there was dense fog and cloud obscuration along the ridgelines along the airplane's flight path.



There were no reported distress calls from the airplane.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to FAA airman records, the pilot held certificates for Airplane Single Engine Land, Airplane Multi-engine Land, Glider, Instrument Airplane, and Flight Instructor. His pilot experience, as reported on his most recent FAA medical exam, dated June 13, 2011, was 5,200 total flight hours. According to a family member, the pilot had flown the accident airplane often, had about 1,100 hours in the accident airplane, and was proficient in cross-country flying. The family member stated that the pilot had experience in flying over the Rocky Mountains several years ago, when he used to live in the Denver area.

The pilot-rated-pass