Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On Thursday, April 29, 1993, at approximately 0415 mountain daylight time, N5650N, a Beech 58, collided with mountainous terrain about 8 miles south of Telluride, Colorado. The airline transport rated pilot (ATP) and the ATP rated passenger were fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the business flight.

According to Mesa Airlines officials, the pilot in command, a check airman for the Farmington, New Mexico, based airline, and the passenger, a check airman in training from Jacksonville,Florida, based Florida Gulf Airlines (a wholly owned subsidiary of Mesa Airlines), flew to Grand Junction, at some time on April 28. The pilot in command was to administer line checks to two newly hired Mesa Airlines' pilots and observe the actions of the second pilot, who was in training to become a company check airman. After administering the line checks, the two pilots departed Grand Junction in the early morning hours of April 29 to return to Farmington.

At 0415, two citizens telephoned the San Juan County Sheriff's Office to report seeing a fireball atop 14,246 foot Mount Wilson, located about eight miles south of the Telluride Regional Airport. The wreckage was located in the Silver Pick Basin of Mt. Wilson at approximately the 11,900 foot level on the morning of April 30.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The on scene investigation was conducted on May 1. Approximately two inches of snow had fallen since the accident. The airplane impacted 20 foot deep, hard packed snow. The terrain gradually sloped upwards. Both the NTAP plots and wreckage path were aligned on a magnetic heading of approximately 135 degrees. To the right of the wreckage path, the terrain sloped down at an approximate angle of 25 degrees.

All major airplane components were recovered and documented.

The initial point of impact was marked by a long thin scar in the snow. About 150 feet beyond was a second scar, 42 feet in length. Both propeller assemblies were found at the end of this scar. All three blades remained attached to their respective assemblies but were broken inside the hubs and were bent aft and twisted. Small pieces of fuselage and right wing were scattered for 450 feet. A third scar, measuring 57 feet in length, 10 feet in width, and five feet in depth, was found at the 650 foot mark. Nearby lay the left and right engines. The main wreckage was at the 790 foot mark. The left wing remained attached to the fuselage. Fire had damaged the instrument panel. Burning fuel dripping from the left fuel tank created a hole in the snow, five feet in diameter and about 20 feet deep. The left front seat, determined by part number, was located 12 feet beyond the main wreckage. The right front seat was found to the right of the wreckage.

Control continuity was partially established. Measurements of the left and right elevator, rudder trim, and right flap actuators were 31mm