Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On June 23, 2000, approximately 2130 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 310C, N1779H, registered to and operated by Front Range Machinery and Supply, Inc., was substantially damaged when it collided with an electrical cable near Erie, Colorado. Additional damage was incurred when the airplane impacted terrain during an emergency landing at Jefferson County Airport, Broomfield, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the business flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane departed a private airstrip near Erie approximately 2115.

According to the pilot's accident report, he realized shortly after taking off that he had left behind his wallet containing his pilot credentials. He turned around and made a southerly approach to his airstrip. During the approach, he encountered "a sudden wind change or down draft." The nose landing gear clipped an electrical line. He abandoned the approach, then made low passes over Tri-County Airport in Erie and Jeffco Airport in Broomfield. Tri-County Airport employees and Jeffco tower controllers both confirmed the nose landing gear was twisted 90 degrees to the left, and was pushed back and dangling. The pilot proceeded to the northeast where he circled for about 1 hour to burn off fuel. He then returned to Jeffco Airport and landed on runway 11L approximately 2230. When the nose landing gear contacted the runway, it pulled the airplane to the left and it came to a halt in the grass next to the runway. A sudden and unexpected encounter with a downdraft while on final approach. A factor was the transmission wire.