Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On June 11, 2005, at 0735 mountain daylight time, a Beech S35 single-engine airplane, N2FY, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during takeoff from the City of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (COS), Colorado Springs, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were not injured. The flight was originating from COS at the time of the accident and was en route to Salida, Colorado.

The private pilot was attending a mountain flying seminar sponsored by the Beechcraft Pilot Proficiency Program. The ground school portion of the seminar was taught the day prior to the accident. During the ground school, the instruction staff and pilot reviewed "in great detail" the flight route, headings, possible altitudes, and operations. On the day of the accident, the pilot met with his instructor prior to the flight to discuss operational procedures, and check the weather and airplane performance tables. He said that he calculated the aircraft to be "at least 400 pounds below max gross weight at takeoff." In addition, prior to the flight, the instructor and the private pilot discussed who was pilot-in-command. According to the private pilot, he was going to be pilot-in-command; however, the instructor would be providing instruction on mountain flying maneuvers and procedures, which included the high altitude takeoff from COS.

The pilot stated that during the pre-takeoff check, "we once again went over the proper leaning procedure and leaned to 100-150 degrees Fahrenheit rich of peak exhaust gas temperature (EGT), which would produce max power. The mag check, vacuum, alternator, and prop cycle were all normal, and the engine instrument parameters were all appropriate."

In a statement submitted by the instructor, she stated that prior to takeoff, "all systems were normal and two leaning checks were done, noting the engine sound and EGT." She said they then reviewed the high altitude takeoff procedure to be used; "hold brakes, check engine instruments, release brakes, after rotation, lower nose, accelerate in ground effect, reach Vy or better, positive rate of climb, then climb out."

The pilot said that they positioned the aircraft on runway 35L and set the engine controls to "2700 RPM and 23 inches of manifold pressure (MP), indicating a full power takeoff at this altitude." Prior to releasing the brakes, the pilot glanced again at the EGT gauge and noted the mixture control position was approximately two finger widths from the stop when leaned properly. The pilot had been told in the ground school that he would notice three finger widths from the full rich stop when departing at the higher elevation of Leadville, Colorado. The pilot reported, "This mixture position and EGT were appropriate for the lower elevation of [Colo