Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 1, 1999, approximately 1100 mountain daylight time, a Wroblewski RV-4 homebuilt aircraft, N95PW, registered to and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while maneuvering 6 miles northeast of Bayfield, Colorado. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The flight was being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan had been filed. The aircraft departed Stevens Field, Pagosa Springs, Colorado, approximately 1030. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed.

According to a friend of the pilot, he departed Pagosa Springs in his privately owned airplane, N43FH. N95PW departed the airport shortly thereafter and followed N43FH, as they had previously made arrangements to fly to Durango, Colorado, and back as a flight of two. According to the passenger aboard N43FH, the weather was "smooth with good visibility under a high overcast" cloud layer.

During their return to the airport, both aircraft flew over their friend's house in Bayfield. After passing her house, the pilot of N43FH radioed the pilot of N95PW "several times on the radio and got no answer. At this time, I turned around and retraced my flight. I found the wreckage about 1/4 to 1/2 mile east" of their friend's house in a clearing of trees. According to him, he and his friend regularly flew together as a flight of two and "if there had been mechanical problems, he probably would have keyed the mike."

A witness who was cutting firewood in a gathering of trees on his friend's property observed two airplanes flying overhead north to south "low and fast" west of his location. He stated that "in a matter of a few minutes they made a second pass directly overhead." He observed the airplane "do a spin immediately followed by a loop" with the airplane's nose pointed toward the ground. He then heard the sound of impact. He stated that the engine "was constant. No engine trouble. It just got louder and higher pitched." Immediately following the accident, he ran to the accident scene. He stated that he smelled gas and could hear the sound of gas dripping.

According to the friend in the house the two airplanes overflew, she heard the sound of engines and went outside to wave to her friends. N43FH flew overhead first, followed by N95PW. She stated that the pilot of N95PW's left wing was tipped down (in her written statement she indicated the right wing was tipped, and later clarified she meant the left wing). She watched both airplanes fly overhead, and was looking from the west at the trailing airplane's tail. She estimated the airplane to be approximately 300 feet above ground level (agl) at the time it passed over her house. She stated the airplane "appeared to be slowing gaining altitude. I'd guess it gained approximately 30 feet in a gentle climb." She looked away for no "more than a second," then saw the "top side of the airplane, the wings looked large and wide... The plan