Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents
Learn from Colorado's accident history to fly safer in the Rockies
2310 Total Accidents
425 Fatal
816 Fatalities
1982-2026
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2 Fatal
Montrose, Colorado
NTSB Narrative
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On July 3, 2006, approximately 1000 mountain daylight time, a Beech A36TC, N1800Z, was destroyed when the it struck trees and impacted a semi truck in a residential neighborhood approximately 2 miles southeast of Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), Montrose, Colorado. A post-impact fire ensued. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The private pilot and ATP (airline transport pilot) -certificated flight instructor were fatally injured. There were no injuries to persons on the ground. The flight originated at Garfield County Regional Airport (RIL), Rifle, Colorado, approximately 0830.
The pilot purchased the airplane from Heartland Airplanes in Olathe, Kansas, and it was delivered to Rifle, Colorado, about two weeks before the accident. According to insurance papers found in the wreckage, the pilot was required to log "15 hours of dual instruction in [airplane] make/model with [an] approved certified flight instructor who meets ALL the requirements of the open pilot warranty" prior to solo. Prior to carrying passengers, the pilot was required to log "25 total hours in [airplane] make/model." On July 1, 2006, the pilot logged 6 hours with his flight instructor, who at the same time gave him his biennial flight review. No other Beech A36 flight time was recorded in the pilot's logbook.
The airplane was refueled three times on July 1: 44.9 gallons at 0917:27, 28.0 gallons at 1208:39, and 27.0 gallons at 1535:45. According to the line serviceman, each time the airplane was refueled, the tanks were filled "up to slots" (32 useable gallons each tank, see TESTS AND RESEARCH).
On the morning of the accident, the line serviceman pulled the airplane out of its hangar. Knowing that the pilots were en route to the airport, he visually checked the fuel tanks as a courtesy. He found them to be "half full." He offered to refuel the airplane but the pilots refused, saying they had sufficient fuel. They departed RIL approximately 0830 and arrived in MTJ approximately 0930.
According to the MTJ fixed base operator, all radio transmissions are tape-recorded. A UNICOM operator also makes handwritten entries on a log sheet. The following is based on that data:
0941 N1800Z made initial contact with the Unicom operator, and advised they would be taking off on runway 31.
0949 N1800Z announced it was turning from base leg onto final approach fro runway 31.
0950 Unicom transmission.
0951 N1800Z announced it had made a full stop landing, was clear of the runway and was taxiing back to runway 31 via taxiway B,
0952 Unicom transmission
0953 N1800Z announced it would be making a full stop landing and a takeoff on runway 31. This was the last communication with the airplane.
0959 Squelch break.
1002 Fire department is page out.
Nineteen witnesses were interview
On July 3, 2006, approximately 1000 mountain daylight time, a Beech A36TC, N1800Z, was destroyed when the it struck trees and impacted a semi truck in a residential neighborhood approximately 2 miles southeast of Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), Montrose, Colorado. A post-impact fire ensued. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The private pilot and ATP (airline transport pilot) -certificated flight instructor were fatally injured. There were no injuries to persons on the ground. The flight originated at Garfield County Regional Airport (RIL), Rifle, Colorado, approximately 0830.
The pilot purchased the airplane from Heartland Airplanes in Olathe, Kansas, and it was delivered to Rifle, Colorado, about two weeks before the accident. According to insurance papers found in the wreckage, the pilot was required to log "15 hours of dual instruction in [airplane] make/model with [an] approved certified flight instructor who meets ALL the requirements of the open pilot warranty" prior to solo. Prior to carrying passengers, the pilot was required to log "25 total hours in [airplane] make/model." On July 1, 2006, the pilot logged 6 hours with his flight instructor, who at the same time gave him his biennial flight review. No other Beech A36 flight time was recorded in the pilot's logbook.
The airplane was refueled three times on July 1: 44.9 gallons at 0917:27, 28.0 gallons at 1208:39, and 27.0 gallons at 1535:45. According to the line serviceman, each time the airplane was refueled, the tanks were filled "up to slots" (32 useable gallons each tank, see TESTS AND RESEARCH).
On the morning of the accident, the line serviceman pulled the airplane out of its hangar. Knowing that the pilots were en route to the airport, he visually checked the fuel tanks as a courtesy. He found them to be "half full." He offered to refuel the airplane but the pilots refused, saying they had sufficient fuel. They departed RIL approximately 0830 and arrived in MTJ approximately 0930.
According to the MTJ fixed base operator, all radio transmissions are tape-recorded. A UNICOM operator also makes handwritten entries on a log sheet. The following is based on that data:
0941 N1800Z made initial contact with the Unicom operator, and advised they would be taking off on runway 31.
0949 N1800Z announced it was turning from base leg onto final approach fro runway 31.
0950 Unicom transmission.
0951 N1800Z announced it had made a full stop landing, was clear of the runway and was taxiing back to runway 31 via taxiway B,
0952 Unicom transmission
0953 N1800Z announced it would be making a full stop landing and a takeoff on runway 31. This was the last communication with the airplane.
0959 Squelch break.
1002 Fire department is page out.
Nineteen witnesses were interview
Case Study & Lessons Learned
Generating educational case study...
Details
| NTSB Report | DEN06FA091 |
| Aircraft | Beech A36TC |
| Registration | N1800Z |
| Damage | DEST |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Location | 38.4672, -107.8667 |
