Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 25, 2008, approximately 0830 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 310Q, N8187Q, was destroyed when it impacted mountainous terrain in the Routt National Forrest in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. The certificated commercial pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to a private individual and operated by the pilot. A visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at Yampa Valley Airport (HDN), Hayden, Colorado, about 0800, and destined for Fort Collins/Loveland Municipal Airport (FNL), Fort Collins, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to the registered owner of the airplane, the pilot departed from Durango, Colorado, earlier that morning and flew to HDN. The pilot planned to pick up his father in HDN and then fly to FNL, where they would meet up with other family members to participate in the Bolder Boulder 10k race the following day (Memorial Day). The pilot called the owner about 0730 after he landed in HDN. He said that the flight went well and the weather was "beautiful." The owner said the pilot was in good spirits and he did not mention any problems with the airplane.

The airplane was topped off with fuel (40 gallons) at Durango for a total of 163 gallons. The owner estimated that the airplane would burn about 30 to 35 gallons for the flight between Durango and Hayden would have had approximately 125 gallons on board when it departed HDN.

According to Routt County Search and Rescue personnel, the pilot contacted his sister in Fort Collins at 0758 and stated that they were just about to depart HDN and would be landing in FNL in about 50 minutes.

The pilot obtained a weather briefing and filed a VFR flight plan via the Digital Users Access Terminal (DUAT) system. The flight plan indicated a direct route between HDN and FNL using a heading of 083 degrees and an altitude of 13,500 feet mean sea level (msl). Though a flight plan was filed, the pilot never activated the flight plan. He was also not in communication with any air traffic control services prior to the accident and no radar data was available for this flight.

A digital camera was found at the accident site and the flash card was removed and downloaded. There was one photograph that was taken during the mishap flight at 0822. The photograph appeared to be taken from the front right seat of the airplane and was of the Mount Werner ski resort in Steamboat Springs. The photo also indicated that the weather was visual meteorological conditions and that the right engine was operating at the time the photo was taken.

The airplane was reported missing by the owner when the pilot failed to call and let him know that they had arrived in FNL. The airplane was part of an Alert Notification (ALNOT), and was located by Routt County Search and Rescue personnel on May 27, 2008, on slightly