Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On October 19, 2002, at 2157 mountain daylight time, a Diamond Aircraft Industries DA20-C1, N315CL, operated by Kempton Air Service, of Grand Junction, Colorado, was destroyed when it struck transmission lines and impacted terrain during a forced landing near Walker Field Airport (GJT), Grand Junction, Colorado. The private pilot received minor injuries and his passenger was not injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan had been filed for this personal cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Farmington, New Mexico, at approximately 2100.

According to the pilot, they departed Grand Junction at 1830 with 18 gallons of fuel in the airplane, and flew direct to Farmington using the airplane's on-board global positioning system (GPS). During the flight, he noticed that he had a 20-knot tail wind. They arrived in Farmington at 2000. Prior to the return flight, he checked the fuel using a stick and the fuel gauge. He determined that there was approximately 9.5 gallons of fuel remaining and decided not to recheck his fuel burn rate. They departed Farmington at 2100.

The pilot stated that while over Hopkins Filed, Nucla, Colorado, approximately 50 nautical miles south of Grand Junction, he rechecked the fuel burn rate and calculated it to be approximately 6 gallons per hour, but the fuel gauge did not reflect this. He said the fuel gauge was reading right at the one-quarter mark but should have been over one quarter. "I thought the fuel gauge was malfunctioning, and knew that we could land at Nucla, but I decided not to." He also stated that it was less than an hour to Walker Field, and that even at one-quarter tank, it should have been enough for a 45-minute reserve.

At approximately 13 miles southeast of Grand Junction, the pilot contacted Walker Field tower, and was given clearance to land. While over Grand Junction, the engine began to "sputter." He turned the auxiliary fuel pump on and checked the fuel gauge. The fuel gauge was in the "yellow," and he knew that it was unreliable. The engine's performance "improved" and then continued to sputter. He notified the tower that he was having "engine trouble," and they cleared him to land on any runway. While at 7000 feet msl and on final for runway 04, the engine "quit completely." He attempted to hold altitude and restart the engine, but was unable to. The pilot set up for best glide, but realizing he couldn't make it to the airport, he set up to make a forced landing on the eastbound lane of Interstate Highway 70.

As he made a right turn to set up for the landing, he noticed a set of power lines right in front of them. The airplane struck the power lines at a 30-degree angle, and in a 20-degree right turn, knocked down two power poles, impacted a ditch, and came to a stop next to the highway. The pilot noticed the power lines lying across the airplane, he saw sparks, and a fire near the left wing.