Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On August 15, 2001, at approximately 0942 mountain daylight time, a Commander 114-B, N994JT, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during initial climb when it impacted terrain and subsequently destroyed by post crash fire near Snowmass Village, Colorado. The private pilot and his passenger received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this personal cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for this flight to Dodge City, Kansas. The flight departed Aspen-Pitkin County/Sardy Field Airport (ASE), Aspen, Colorado, at approximately 0926.

According to witnesses who were driving nearby, the airplane appeared to fly directly over the Elk Camp ski runs and was flying "much lower" than other airplanes. A witness stated that he noticed the airplane flying up the "draw" near his home. The airplane was approximately 100 feet above the trees and was "climbing with what seemed to be a constant engine speed." Just before the airplane disappeared behind his home, he noticed the left wing "drop slightly." Moments later, the engine noise stopped and he noticed a large black cloud of smoke appear above the trees. A third witness stated that approximately 20 minutes after calling 911 to report the accident, he observed the pilot and passenger walking down the road. He immediately assisted them and transported them to an approaching ambulance.

An officer from the Town of Snowmass Village Police Department stated that he observed a column of white smoke rising from the trees in the nearby Snowmass ski area. The smoke was rising straight up and was "undisturbed by the wind for nearly 100 feet above the trees." When he arrived on the scene at approximately 1004, the wreckage was "engulfed in flames and moderately exploding," but the area surrounding the site was unaffected by the flames. The Snowmass Wildcat Fire Department arrived at the scene at 1010, and because of the location of the site, the fire department was only able to bring enough equipment to contain the fire and keep it from spreading. The post-crash fire consumed most of the wreckage.

On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot reported that they departed Sardy Field on an IFR flight plan, with VFR routing to Dodge City, Kansas, for refueling. He flew over Snowmass Canyon to gain altitude to clear the mountain passes, and after approximately 10 minutes, had a gain of approximately 3,000 feet in altitude. There was no indication of an engine problem and the "engine appeared to be running smoothly, but the plane would not climb" and the airplane "mysteriously" began to lose airspeed to the point of descending 500 feet per minute in level flight. The airspeed was at 80 knots with "full power, and full pitch props, and leaned mixture." After recognizing the "flight condition," he only had a few minutes to "control the descent to a cr