Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 13, 2005, approximately 2020 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 425 twin-engine turboprop airplane, N425SG, was destroyed when it impacted the terrain near Lone Tree, Colorado, during an instrument approach to the Centennial Airport (APA), near Englewood, Colorado. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to SGavit Aviation LLC, Littleton, Colorado, and operated by the pilot. Night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight departed Sandpoint (SZT), Idaho, at 1627 pacific daylight time.

A review of the air traffic control communications and radar data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that during the en route portion of the flight, a radar target identified as the accident airplane maintained all assigned altitudes and headings. The accident airplane approached APA from the north and west, and the pilot received radar vectors to intercept the localizer course for the Instrument Landing System (ILS) runway 35R approach.

At 2016, the controller instructed the pilot to turn left to a heading of 010 degrees to join the localizer for runway 35R, and descend to and maintain 8,500 feet. The pilot asked the controller to repeat the instruction. The controller then instructed the pilot to turn to a heading of 360 degrees, descend and maintain 8,500 feet. The pilot did not respond, and the controller asked if the pilot received the clearance. The pilot responded, "Give me a minute."

At 2017, the controller instructed the pilot to descend and maintain 8,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged the instruction, and the controller then cleared the airplane for the ILS runway 35R approach. The pilot read back the clearance, and the controller asked the pilot if he was "starting down on the altitude." The pilot responded affirmatively. The controller then instructed the pilot to contact APA air traffic control tower (ATCT) on frequency 118.9.

At 2018:06, with the airplane at an altitude of 8,500 feet and a groundspeed of 170 knots, the pilot reported to APA ATCT that the airplane was at the outer marker (CASSE). The controller then cleared the airplane to land on runway 35R and stated the wind was from 360 degrees at 8 knots. At 2018:47, at an altitude of 7,700 feet and a groundspeed of 190 knots, the pilot asked the controller, "What's the current ceiling...?" The controller responded, "I'm showing a five hundred foot ceiling."

At 2019:06, with the airplane at an altitude of 6,800 feet and a ground speed of 170 knots, the controller stated, "And five sierra golf, I am getting low altitude, low altitude alert on you." The pilot responded, "Yeah, I am a bit low here." At 2019:32, at an altitude of 7,200 feet and a ground speed of 150 knots, the pilot stated, "I'm back on glideslope." No