Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 18, 2008, at 2024 mountain daylight time, N97TS, a twin-engine Piper Aerostar, PA-60-602P airplane was destroyed upon impact with terrain while maneuvering for landing at McElroy Airfield (K20V), Kremmling, Colorado. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The personal flight was being conducted in accordance with 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 on an instrument flight rules flight plan. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The cross-country flight departed the North Las Vegas Airport (KVGT) at 1710 pacific daylight time (PDT) and was en route to K20V.

The airplane's flight path was observed on radar to have flown over the airport from the southwest and then turn to the west to maneuver for landing on runway 9. Several witnesses observed the airplane to the west of the airport indicating it was at a low altitude and appeared to initiate a turn that was followed by a "rapid descent" and impact with the ground.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 51, held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. A third-class medical certificate was issued on January 1, 2008, at which time the pilot reported having accumulated 500 total hours, with 120 hours in the preceding six months. The pilot's logbook was not recovered. A certificate was obtained validating the pilot's successful completion of "ground and flight recurrent training in the systems and procedures of the Aerostar 602P/700," dated October 26, 2007.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The twin-engine, low wing, retractable gear airplane, serial number 60-8265036, was manufactured in 1982. Two 290-horsepower Lycoming IO-540-AA1A5 engines (left engine serial number L-21801-48A, right engine serial number L-21799-48A) each powered the airplane driving a three-bladed, metal, constant-speed, full-feathering Hartzell HC-C3YR-2UF propeller. A review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that the last annual inspection was accomplished on February 5, 2008, at a recorded airframe time of 2,758.8 hours, left engine time since major overhaul (TSMOH) of 0 hours, and right engine TSMOH of 1,043.7 hours. Furthermore, entries for oil changes on the engines on September 6, 2008, twelve days prior to the accident, reveal that the airframe had flown about 72 hour since the annual inspection.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

At 1951 MDT, 31 minutes prior to the accident, the weather at the destination was reported as a scattered cloud layer at 6,000 feet, a broken layer at 6,500 feet, overcast at 8,500 feet, light rain showers, visibility 10 miles, temperature 10 degrees Celsius, dew point 4 degrees Celsius, winds from 120 degrees at 6 knots, and an altimeter setting of 30.00 inches of Mercury.

According to the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department, Sun and Moon data, the sun set at 1908 and the end of civil twilight was recorded at 1935. The moon rose at 2041 the evening of the acci