Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn February 11, 2015, about 1433 mountain standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Wheeler Express, N564ER, impacted terrain while performing an off-airport forced landing near Kersey, Colorado. The private pilot and airline transport pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was privately owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed from Greeley-Weld County Municipal Airport (GXY), Greeley, Colorado, and was en route to Front Range Airport (FTG), Watkins, Colorado.

An airframe and powerplant mechanic at GXY reported hearing the accident airplane's engine making odd noises as it taxied to the parking area. He stated that the engine was backfiring and sounded like one or more of the cylinders was misfiring. He went outside and saw the airplane taxi to the ramp in front of the airport terminal.

Later, the two pilots came into his shop and stated that they were experiencing difficulty with the airplane's engine. The mechanic stated that his boss would be more knowledgeable about the subject and that he would return in about 35 minutes. The pilots stated that they did not want to wait that long and planned to return to FTG. The mechanic offered to accompany them to the airplane and listen to the engine as they started it. The pilots proceeded to board the airplane without conducting a preflight inspection and attempted to start the engine; however, the engine would not start. The mechanic assisted the pilots in starting the engine with auxiliary power and found that the battery had a charge but that the starter solenoid "didn't click like it should" and was not engaging the starter. Both pilots disembarked the airplane, and the mechanic returned to his work.

About 10 minutes later, one of the pilots requested a "jumper wire" from the mechanic so that he could bypass the starter solenoid. A subsequent attempt to start the engine was successful. The mechanic stated that, as the airplane taxied out to the runway, the engine began to run rough; however, the pilots continued their taxi. The mechanic did not see the takeoff but was informed shortly thereafter that the airplane had crashed.

Another witness, who was standing outside his shop about 3/4 mile from the accident location, reported hearing an airplane's engine "sputtering." When the airplane flew over him about 200-300 ft. above ground level, the engine was running rough and occasionally "missing." The airplane proceeded southeast when he heard a backfire; he thought the engine stopped running. The airplane then descended and impacted the ground at high speed in an approximate 30° nose-down attitude. There was an immediate postimpact fire. The witness called 911, went to the accident location, and fought the fire with several handheld fire extinguishers until e