Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents
Learn from Colorado's accident history to fly safer in the Rockies
2310 Total Accidents
425 Fatal
816 Fatalities
1982-2026
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1 Fatal
Glenwood Sprngs, Colorado
NTSB Narrative
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On March 10, 2002, at 2019 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20C, N1323D, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain about 16 miles north-northeast of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being operated under Title 14 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 91. The flight originated at Kremmling, Colorado, approximately 1946, and was en route to Grand Junction, Colorado.
According to a friend of the pilot who lived in Kremmling, she received a telephone call from him some time after 1700. He told her that his wife had left for Washington State to be with their daughter who was expecting a child soon, and he was hoping to fly over from Grand Junction that evening to see her. Approximately 1850, she received another telephone call from the pilot, telling her he was at the Kremmling Airport. She drove to the airport and, according to her statement, they sat in her car and made plans for the coming weekend. He told her that his trip from Grand Junction had been "pretty smooth" and his speed had been 125 mph, increasing to about 200 mph as he descended over the mountains. Prior to his departure, the pilot preflighted his airplane as "he always did." She said that he was in "a very good mood," and happy about being able to see her that weekend. She said he departed Kremmling between 1930 and 2000 to return to Grand Junction.,
When the pilot failed to arrive in Grand Junction, FAA was notified and an ALNOT (Alert Notification) was issued on March 11 at 2241. The ALNOT was cancelled on March 12 at 1747 when National Guard helicopters, aided by a weak ELT (emergency locator transmitter) signal, located the wreckage in mountainous terrain at a location of 30 degrees, 43.202' north latitude, and 107 degrees, 13.406' west longitude.
CREW INFORMATION
The 50-year-old pilot possessed a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, dated June 29, 2001. He was not instrument rated. His third class airman medical certificated, dated March 7, 2001, contained the limitation: "Holder shall possess correcting glasses for near vision while exercising the privileges of his/her airman certificate." The pilot's logbook indicated the following (all times approximate due to arithmetical errors):
Total time - 224.7
Pilot-in-command - 181.2
Airplane, single engine - 224.7
Mooney M20C - 29.9
Night - 19.1
Simulated instruments - 3.9
On December 18, 2001, the pilot was involved in a landing accident at Crested Butte, Colorado. No one was injured in the accident, but the airplane, a Piper PA-28-235, N8704W, was damaged beyond economical repair. In his logbook the pilot wrote, "Crashed plane on landing. Frozen left brake." With the insurance money, the pilot purchased N1323D. Between December 30, 2001, and January 21, 2002, he flew the airplane thr
On March 10, 2002, at 2019 mountain standard time, a Mooney M20C, N1323D, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain about 16 miles north-northeast of Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight being operated under Title 14 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 91. The flight originated at Kremmling, Colorado, approximately 1946, and was en route to Grand Junction, Colorado.
According to a friend of the pilot who lived in Kremmling, she received a telephone call from him some time after 1700. He told her that his wife had left for Washington State to be with their daughter who was expecting a child soon, and he was hoping to fly over from Grand Junction that evening to see her. Approximately 1850, she received another telephone call from the pilot, telling her he was at the Kremmling Airport. She drove to the airport and, according to her statement, they sat in her car and made plans for the coming weekend. He told her that his trip from Grand Junction had been "pretty smooth" and his speed had been 125 mph, increasing to about 200 mph as he descended over the mountains. Prior to his departure, the pilot preflighted his airplane as "he always did." She said that he was in "a very good mood," and happy about being able to see her that weekend. She said he departed Kremmling between 1930 and 2000 to return to Grand Junction.,
When the pilot failed to arrive in Grand Junction, FAA was notified and an ALNOT (Alert Notification) was issued on March 11 at 2241. The ALNOT was cancelled on March 12 at 1747 when National Guard helicopters, aided by a weak ELT (emergency locator transmitter) signal, located the wreckage in mountainous terrain at a location of 30 degrees, 43.202' north latitude, and 107 degrees, 13.406' west longitude.
CREW INFORMATION
The 50-year-old pilot possessed a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, dated June 29, 2001. He was not instrument rated. His third class airman medical certificated, dated March 7, 2001, contained the limitation: "Holder shall possess correcting glasses for near vision while exercising the privileges of his/her airman certificate." The pilot's logbook indicated the following (all times approximate due to arithmetical errors):
Total time - 224.7
Pilot-in-command - 181.2
Airplane, single engine - 224.7
Mooney M20C - 29.9
Night - 19.1
Simulated instruments - 3.9
On December 18, 2001, the pilot was involved in a landing accident at Crested Butte, Colorado. No one was injured in the accident, but the airplane, a Piper PA-28-235, N8704W, was damaged beyond economical repair. In his logbook the pilot wrote, "Crashed plane on landing. Frozen left brake." With the insurance money, the pilot purchased N1323D. Between December 30, 2001, and January 21, 2002, he flew the airplane thr
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Details
| NTSB Report | DEN02FA030 |
| Aircraft | Mooney M20C |
| Registration | N1323D |
| Damage | DEST |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Location | 39.7167, -107.2167 |
