Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On November 11, 2008, about 1530 Mountain Standard Time, a single-engine Cessna 182, N71276, was destroyed upon impact with terrain following a loss of control while in cruise flight near Basalt, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board the airplane, was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot. A flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. The 260-nautical mile planned cross-country flight originated from the Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (BJC), Denver, Colorado, with Carbon County Regional Airport (PUC), Price, Utah, as its intended destination.

The airplane was the subject of an ALNOT (alert notice) for a missing airplane and a search was initiated. The airplane was located on November 12, 2008, inside the Holy Cross Wilderness area, in rugged terrain. Due to the remote location and winter snow, the airplane was not recovered until July, 2009. Photographs taken of the accident site revealed that the airplane appeared to impact terrain at a steep angle and at a high rate of speed. The airplane's cabin area appeared extensively crushed and buckled along with the engine/propeller, and situated over a small impact crater. Both wings, along their entire span, in front of and aft of the main wing spar, displayed aft accordion crushing.

A review of the airplane’s radar track showed the airplane heading westbound at an altitude of 14,800 feet. Prior to disappearing from radar at 1530, the airplane appeared to make a rapid descent.

There was no reported communication or distress calls from the accident pilot.

Prior to departure, at 0724 the pilot received a standard weather briefing from the Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS). The briefing included the advisory for mountain obscuration and icing conditions over his intended route and that Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight was not recommended. Later, about 1412 the pilot contacted AFSS, and received a standard briefing, which included an advisory for mountain obscuration. The briefing also included forecasts for several locations en route which indicated VFR conditions prevailed at those locations, but with multiple layers of clouds.

At 1553, the automated weather observing system at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport/Sardy Field (ASE), Aspen, Colorado, (approximately 17 miles southwest of the accident site) reported calm wind, 10 miles visibility, a broken clouds at 2, 400 feet, and overcast sky at 6,000 feet, temperature 35-degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 29-degrees Fahrenheit, and an altimeter setting of 30.09 inches of Mercury.

At 1553, the automated weather observing system at the Lake County Airport, Leadville, Colorado, (approximately 17 miles southeast of the accident site) reported wind 010 degrees, at 11 knots, gusting to 17 knots, 8 miles visibility in light snow, a few clouds at 2,300 feet, a ceiling broken at 3, 500 feet, and overcast sky at 4,700 feet, tempe