Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 23, 2002, approximately 2015 mountain daylight time (all times are mountain daylight time unless otherwise noted), a Piper PA-28R-200 single-engine airplane, N6227J, was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain during cruise flight near Chromo, Colorado. The flight instructor and instrument-rated private pilot, who was receiving instruction, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was owned and operated by Melcarl Aviation Company of Parker, Colorado. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The cross-country flight departed the Fullerton Municipal Airport, Fullerton, California, approximately 1345 pacific daylight time (PDT), with planned fuel stops at Prescott, Arizona, and Farmington, New Mexico, and was destined for the Centennial Airport (APA), Denver, Colorado.

In a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), the owner of Gerdes Aviation Services (an aviation brokerage company, in Fullerton, California) stated on the afternoon of September 22, 2002, he picked up the flight instructor and private pilot from the Ontario International Airport, Ontario, California. The two pilots, who were the president and vice president of Melcarl Aviation Company, had flown on a commercial flight from Denver to Ontario. The pilots checked into their hotel, and then the three of them went to the airport to inspect the Piper airplane. The flight instructor, who was also an airframe and powerplant mechanic, inspected "everything." The two pilots and another individual then test flew the airplane, and after the test flight, the two pilots were "happy with the airplane." One discrepancy was noted during the test flight; the rear vent was not functional. It was determined the flapper valve nut was loose; the nut was tightened, and the discrepancy was eliminated. The brokerage owner then drove the pilots back to their hotel.

The following day, also the day of the accident, at 0700 PDT, the pilots called their financial institution regarding the financing for the airplane. At 0900 PDT, the brokerage company owner picked the two pilots up from the hotel, and all three went to the brokerage owner's financial institution to complete a portion of the purchase transaction. At 1100 PDT, the three individuals arrived at the Fullerton Municipal Airport. The flight instructor and private pilot loaded the airplane with some personal items, fueled the airplane, and then departed the airport approximately 1345 PDT. According to the brokerage owner, the pilots wanted to leave Fullerton by 0900 PDT; however, there were some problems encountered with the financing that had to be resolved that morning.

The brokerage owner further stated the flight instructor was seated in the right seat, and the private pilot was seated in the left seat. The private pilot was going to fly the entire