Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 1, 2002, approximately 0855 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180 airplane, N6444J, impacted the terrain while maneuvering near Gypsum, Colorado. The private pilot and one passenger sustained serious injuries and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Glenwood Flyers L.L.C. of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed the Eagle Regional Airport (EGE), Eagle, Colorado, approximately 0840, and was destined for Idaho Falls, Idaho.

According to the NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported he departed the Glenwood Springs Municipal airport approximately 0700 en route to EGE, as the sole occupant of the airplane for that flight. The pilot reported the visibility was good; however, the flight encountered soot and smoke-haze from forest fires in the area. At 0715, the flight landed at EGE, and the pilot instructed a refueler at the fixed based operator (FBO) to "fill the tanks to the tabs."

Prior to departing EGE for Idaho Falls, the pilot performed a "standard pre-flight and weight and balance checks." The pilot reported the "plane's gross weight was approximately 2,270 pounds. The certified maximum gross weight is 2,400 pounds." At 0830, the luggage was stowed, and the pilot and the three passengers boarded the airplane. The luggage consisted of a back pack, a lap top computer, and four other pieces of the luggage. The pilot completed a flight plan, and "per the flight plan, the planned cruising speed was 85 [miles per hour] mph, with a planned climb rate of about 300-400 feet per minute. The plan called for a climb to a cruising altitude of 12,500 feet."

The airplane departed EGE runway 25, which is 8,000 feet in length, and the pilot then turned to a heading of 296 degrees due to hot air balloon activity south of the airport. After departure, the pilot contacted the Denver flight service station (FSS) and activated the VFR flight plan. The pilot reported that "after climbing about 10 to 15 minutes heading about 290 [degrees] up a valley I noticed that the vertical climb rate had decreased to about 100-200 feet per minute, half the climb rate that was expected at full power. The pilot added that the aircraft seemed not to be performing with the power that should be expected at full throttle." The pilot did not recall any events immediately preceding or following the impact with the terrain.

In a telephone interview with the surviving female passenger conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), the passenger, who was seated in the right front seat, reported approximately 5 minutes into the flight, she commented to the pilot that "we're going kinda low." The pilot responded that the "[vertical speed indicator] was at 1, [it] shou