Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 24, 2004, at 1207 mountain daylight time, a Beech 58P, N69CL, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in a residential area of Fort Collins, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal cross-country flight was being conducted on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from Fort Collins-Loveland Airport (FNL) at 1202, and was en route to Eppley Field (OMA), Omaha, Nebraska.

According to Jet Center records, the airplane was serviced with 76.7 gallons of 100-LL aviation-grade gasoline prior to its departure from Fort Collins-Loveland Airport. According to FAA documents, the pilot telephoned the Denver (DEN) Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) at 1037 and obtained a "standard weather briefing" for an IFR flight from FNL to OMA. When the briefing ended, the pilot filed an IFR flight plan.

At 1151, the pilot inadvertently contacted Denver terminal radar control (TRACON) instead of the Denver AFSS. The controller obtained and issued the pilot his IFR clearance, and the pilot read it back correctly. At 1156, the pilot advised the controller he was ready for takeoff on runway 15. The controller said there would be a 20-minute delay due to inbound IFR traffic. The controller suggested that if the pilot would be willing to depart on runway 33, he could release him almost immediately. The pilot said he would taxi to and depart on runway 33.

At 1202, the pilot said he was ready for takeoff. The controller "released" the flight and instructed the pilot to turn right to a heading of 350 degrees and climb and maintain 8,000 feet. The pilot was given an IFR clearance void time of 1205. At 1204, the pilot reported passing 5,800 feet. The controller advised the pilot that he was in radar contact. At 1205, the controller instructed the pilot to climb and maintain 8,000 feet and the pilot acknowledged. The controller then instructed the pilot to turn right to a heading of 080 degrees. The pilot acknowledged.

At 1206, the controller instructed the pilot to turn right to a heading of 100 degrees. The pilot did not acknowledge. The controller repeated the instruction. There was a squelch break and in the background, noise and a tone could be heard. The controller then asked the pilot, "How do you hear?" The pilot answered, "We hear you loud and clear. We have got some sort of malfunction going on here." The controller asked if he was having communications difficulties. There was no reply from the pilot, nor were there any further communications. The controller then contacted the Fort Collins Police Communications Center and advised that the airplane was believed to have crashed northwest of Fort Collins.

At 1207, the controller advised the pilot that radar contact had been lost. It was also at this t