Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 3, 2004, at 1212 mountain standard time, a Rockwell 690A, N700SR, registered to LT Aire, Inc., and operated by Air West, Inc., both of Mesa, Arizona, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while circling to land at the Cortez Municipal Airport (CEZ), Cortez, Colorado. The commercial pilot, the only occupant aboard, was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the positioning flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated in Mesa, Arizona, approximately 1030.

According to the operator, the purpose of the flight was to fly one of airplane owners from Telluride, Colorado, to Mesa. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) documents, the pilot telephoned the Prescott, Arizona, Automated Flight Service Station at 0835 to file an IFR flight plan to Telluride. The AFSS specialist advised the pilot that he would need a reservation number in order to fly to Telluride. A visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed instead so that the pilot could call back later with the reservation number and the flight plan would be changed to IFR. The pilot was then given an abbreviated weather briefing because he indicated he had already received the weather advisories. The briefing terminated at 0845. The operator said the pilot also received a weather briefing via computer. When he learned that the Telluride airport was closed due to weather, he contacted his passenger and arranged to meet him in Cortez. He then telephoned the Prescott AFSS at 0943 and amended his previously-filed flight plan, changing the destination to Cortez. He also filed a return flight plan from Cortez to Mesa. The conversation terminated at 0945.

At 1049, the pilot contacted Falcon Field Ground Control and was cleared to taxi to runway 22L. At 1052, he was issued his IFR clearance and at 1058, he was cleared for takeoff. The en route portion of the flight was uneventful. At 1131, after contacting Denver ARTCC, the pilot was instructed to cross the initial approach fix at or above 12,000 feet and was cleared for the VOR approach to Cortez. Recorded NTAP (National Track Analysis Program) radar data captured the initial portion of the instrument approach (see Aircraft Situation Display.avi, EXHIBITS). The pilot reported passing the CEZ VORTAC (Very high frequency Omnidirectional Radio range-TACtical air navigation) outbound for the procedure turn, and crossing the CEZ VORTAC (final approach fix) inbound. Radar contact was then lost. Two witnesses, a King Air pilot and an airport employee, walked outside their hanger to watch for the approaching airplane. They said they saw the airplane emerge from the overcast, slightly high and fast, and entered a steep left bank. It turned about 90 degrees before disappearing in a snow shower northeast of the airport. They heard no unusual engine noises. Another witness, sitting in a restaurant across