Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On March 24, 2002, at 1631 mountain standard time, a Cessna 340, N341DM, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while on final approach to Centennial Airport, Englewood, Colorado. The airline transport pilot and his three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was being operated by Lear 171 Inc., of Billings, Montana, under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight that originated from Gunnison, Colorado, at approximately 1545. The pilot was flying under an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan.

The pilot called Denver Flight Service Station at 0818 to file a three-leg IFR flight plan from Denver, Colorado, to Aspen, Colorado, to Gunnison, Colorado, and return to Denver. The refueler at Centennial Airport said that he topped off the main (wing-tip) tanks with 62 gallons (approximately 31 gallons per side) at 1232. This would have given the pilot 100 gallons usable fuel total. The refueler said at 1250, the pilot requested that an additional 20 gallons of fuel be put in each auxiliary tank. The owner of the airplane said that the auxiliary fuel tanks, which had a 31.5 gallon capacity, were not used for every flight. He further stated that they normally left 2 to 5 gallons [an unknown amount] of "slosh" fuel in them to keep the rubber fuel bladders in good shape. The pilot departed Centennial Airport with approximately 140 gallons of fuel.

The pilot flew to Aspen (96 nautical miles (nm)) and picked up his three passengers. He then departed for Gunnison (42 nm) where the passengers owned a ranch. They were on the ground less than an hour, when they departed for Centennial Airport at approximately 1545. The pilot had requested an altitude of 17,000 feet, and estimated that he would fly the 118 nm (direct) in 42 minutes. Denver Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) radar data indicates that the airplane began its descent from 17,000 feet at 1616. At 1621:03, the pilot was told by the TRACON controller, to expect light to moderate icing at 8,000 feet. The airplane leveled off at 8,300 feet for approximately 30 seconds before it crossed Casse (Centennial Airport's Initial Approach Fix), and then began its final descent to runway 35R on the Instrument Landing System (ILS).

At 1628:56, approximately 2.5 nm before Casse, the airplane was cleared to land on runway 35R. At approximately 1630:52, the radar data indicates that the airplane began to turn left (westbound) at 7,200 feet. At 1631:24, the pilot transmitted that "41DM [N341DM] lost an engine," and at 1631:30, he exclaimed "oh sh__"! Radar data indicates that the airplane completed a 180 degree turn (approximately 6 degrees per second), then radar contact was lost.

One witness said the airplane was flying "about 150 to 200 feet from the ground," and when it "attempted to clear the approaching hill, it tipped 90 degrees to the left (right wing straight up)." Another witness said