Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 11, 2011, at 1615 mountain standard time a Cessna 337G, N337LC, registered to LAMP Ministry LLC, of New Haven, Michigan, was destroyed when it impacted the ground shortly after takeoff from runway 20 at the San Luis Valley Regional Airport/Bergman Field (ALS), Alamosa, Colorado. The airplane was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight's intended destination was Harriet Alexander Field (ANK), Salida, Colorado.

A witness located at the airport observed the pilot start the airplane (both engines). She did not see the airplane taxi or takeoff. Another witness, who was located south of the accident site, saw the airplane traveling east at a low altitude. Then he thought he heard the engine shut off and airplane went out of sight behind a stand of trees. The witness then heard a "pop", then, another "pop." Another witness, driving in a car nearby the accident site saw the airplane flying to the east when it suddenly lost altitude and nose dived toward the ground. This witness lost sight of the airplane behind trees and did not see the airplane impact the ground.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The accident pilot, who had over 3,650 total hours of flight time in single and multi-engine airplanes, 565 hours of which were time in the Cessna 337. He had been flown to Alamosa by another ministry pilot on the morning of the accident. The reason for the trip was to pick up the airplane after it's annual inspection was completed in Alamosa. The ministry pilot stated that the accident pilot was in good spirits and did not express any concerns. Both the accident pilot and ministry pilot discussed what work was done to the airplane during the annual inspection. The ministry pilot also stated that the pilot displayed very good aeronautical knowledge and flying skills and that his last bi-annual flight review was conducted in the Cessna 337 sometime during June of 2010.

According to tachometer times entered in the aircraft journey log, between October 29, 2010 and November 1, 2011, the accident pilot flew the accident aircraft 124.1 hours. He held Commercial Pilot certificates for single and multiengine airplanes and held an instrument rating in airplanes. The pilot's most recent FAA medical certificate (Second Class) was dated June 6, 2011. The medical certificate noted that the pilot "must wear corrective lenses and possess glasses for near and intermediate vision".

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a 1976 Cessna Skymaster 337G, S/N: 33701672. The twin engine airplane's fuselage had two engines in tandem, one in front of the cabin and one engine behind the cabin. The airplane was equipped with retractable landing gear and a belly-attached cargo pod.

The airplane had been in Alamosa since October 15, 2011, undergoing an annual inspection, which wa