Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 26, 2020, about 1137 mountain daylight time, a Cessna T210N airplane, N64EM, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Peyton, Colorado. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

About 1011, the pilot departed from Meadow Lake Airport (FLY), Colorado Springs, Colorado, for the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), Colorado Springs, Colorado, to have the airplane’s oxygen system serviced. About 1125, the airplane departed COS on a return flight to FLY.

A flight instructor who was providing instruction to a student pilot in a Cessna 150 airplane in the pattern at FLY stated that the accident airplane got in between the airplane he was in and another Cessna 150 airplane, which was trailing, for a landing on runway 33. The instructor felt that there was not much separation between the airplanes. The student pilot and instructor turned their airplane from the base leg onto final. The instructor thought the accident airplane had extended its downwind to make some room between the airplanes and also that the accident airplane slowed to make room because it was faster. The instructor indicated that the winds were blowing from east to west. After the student pilot and instructor landed their airplane, they heard that the accident airplane had crashed south of the runway.

The pilot in the trailing Cessna 150 airplane stated that the accident airplane entered on the downwind between his airplane and the other Cessna 150 airplane, which appeared to be significantly slower than the accident airplane. He stated that the accident airplane flew an extended downwind leg and that, while the accident airplane was turning final, it overshot the runway, increased its bank, and pitched up slightly. The airplane then impacted terrain and nosed over. The pilot observed a “puff” of white smoke, a “huge fire ball,” and black smoke. The pilot said that the accident pilot had made all “proper” radio calls, including the final turn.

The trailing pilot’s account of the events was consistent with a video playback of radar data.

A witness near the accident site said he saw the accident airplane’s wings “wiggle” and that he thought that the airplane was going to crash. He estimated the airplane was about 30 to 50 ft above the ground when it nosed down, stalled, and dropped “straight” in, impacting terrain. He also stated that he did not hear any engine sounds. There was no fire or smoke from the airplane when it was in the air. The nose landing gear separated on impact, and the airplane slid on the ground and subsequently caught on fire.



PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot was given a notice of disapproval after his initial attempt at a private pilot examination. According to a flight instructor who subsequently endorsed the pilot’s private pilot retest, the pilot’s areas of deficiency were soft field takeoffs and short field landings.