Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

The airplane departed runway 33 (6,000 feet by 60 feet, asphalt, with a slight up-slope). Witnesses reported that the airplane "never got more than about 50 feet in the air". The airplane then impacted terrain and came to rest just beyond the departure end of the runway. Fuel was present at the site, the airplane's engine and right wing had been torn from the fuselage during the accident, resulting in substantial damage. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector, who responded to the accident site, stated that the airplane's wooden propeller was in "splinters" and that there "didn’t appear to be any control problems". The density altitude was calculated to be 9,590 feet. The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed to avoid an aerodynamic stall during a high-density altitude takeoff.