Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 20, 1995, at 1733 mountain standard time, a Beech A35, N8759A, collided with a power line during approach to Platte Valley Airpark, Hudson, Colorado. The private pilot received serious injuries and the passenger sustained fatal injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this personal flight operating under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Monterey, California, at 1055 and made an enroute refueling stop at Rock Springs, Wyoming.

According to the pilot, he landed at Rock Springs at 1600 and had the aircraft fueled to 40 gallons with all fuel in the main tanks. The flight then departed to Platte Valley Airpark via Corona Pass. The pilot said his plan was to intercept the 333 degree radial off of Mile High VORTAC eight miles northwest of the navigation aid and proceed to Platte Valley which is located at 13 miles from the navigation aid. This was accomplished and the pilot related that he did not spot the airport and executed a missed approach. He then, according to his statement, attempted to approach the airport from the northwest by intercepting the 333 degree radial inbound to the station and back towards the airport. He said he descended to 5,200 feet above mean sea level (msl) and at 14.5 miles distance from the VORTAC he decided to descend further to "get the airport environment insight."

The pilot related that he was flying at approximately 100 miles per hour with the landing gear and flaps up and the landing light on when he saw power lines in his path. He said when he saw the wires he attempted to pull up and turn east to parallel the wires but was unsuccessful. The aircraft contacted the wires and rolled inverted in the wires. The aircraft impacted the ground inverted and began to burn. The pilot said he exited the aircraft through a hole in the fuselage and did not know how his passenger exited, but later found his passenger north of the aircraft. (See wreckage diagram).

The first person on the scene of the accident stated that the electricity went off and he saw a bright light several times, followed by an explosion. The witness said he proceeded to the scene and found the pilot walking around bleeding from the head and the passenger on the ground burning. The witness said he put the fire out around the passenger and called 911.

According to fire/emergency medical personnel, when they arrived on the scene, the aircraft and the farm field north of the aircraft was on fire. The pilot was wandering around the scene bleeding from the head and the passenger was lying on the ground north of the wreckage with burns over a large portion of his body. The emergency response team had the pilot airlifted to a hospital in Denver and the passenger airlifted to the burn center at University Hospital in Denver.

INJURIES TO PERSONS

The pilot suffered head injuries and was released from the hospital within a few