Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 9, 1995, at 0852 mountain daylight time, a North American T-28B, N28TP, was destroyed when it broke up in flight and impacted terrain while maneuvering three miles west of Ramah, Colorado. The two private pilots were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The local flight originated at Englewood, Colorado, on July 9 at 0831 MDT.

One witness said she saw the airplane in a wings level, shallow descent and travelling "at a high rate of speed, faster than the other airplanes you see around here." The airplane was south of U.S. Highway 24 and flying in an easterly direction. She said the airplane entered a left bank with its right wing and nose up. She heard "popping" noises and said the airplane appeared to "explode" in midair. Another witness said she saw the airplane "humming right along." She then heard a loud boom, looked up, and saw pieces of the airplane falling slowly to the ground.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

According to an FAA Flight Standards District Office inspector in Denver, Colorado, the pilot-owner was issued a Letter of Authorization (LOA), dated September 22, 1994, to serve as pilot-in-command of the North American T-28B. The inspector said an LOA for a reciprocating engine-powered airplane is valid for 12 calendar months. The other pilot held similar LOAs to serve as pilot-in-command of the T-28B airplane. The only LOAs found in his personal files were dated March 27, 1989, January 17, 1990, and February 6, 1990. FAA reported having no current LOA on file for the second pilot.

FLIGHT RECORDERS

Two video cameras were aboard the airplane: one was mounted in the left wing leading edge (originally used for armament), and the other was mounted in the rear cockpit and aimed at the face of the rear seat occupant. The tape deck and cassette were recovered from the wreckage. The cassette tape was examined by the NTSB's CVR laboratory. According to the technician, the tape was blank.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Both wings separated from the airplane; the ailerons remained attached but both flaps separated. Both wings were broken in two pieces at the outboard splice. Both horizontal stabilizers separated from the airplane, and both elevators separated from the horizontal stabilizers. The left elevator was broken in three places, and the right elevator was broken in two. All separated components were found within 1/4-mile of the fuselage. The fuselage was on its left side on the south side of U.S. Highway 24. The vertical stabilizer and rudder remained attached to the airframe. The engine was buried in the middle of the highway (see attached Wreckage Diagram).

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Autopsies were performed on both occupants by the El Paso County Coroner's Office.

FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) performed toxicological screens on both occupants.