Piper AEROSTAR 601P accident near Eagle, CO

On November 17, 1996, a Piper AEROSTAR 601P (airplane) was involved in an accident near Eagle, CO. 5 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

November 17, 1996

Place

Eagle, CO

Aircraft

Piper AEROSTAR 601P · Airplane

Injuries

5 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

39.649°N, 106.820°W

NTSB ID

20001208X07021

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 17, 1996, at 1505 mountain standard time, a Piper Aerostar 601P, N251B, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while maneuvering near Eagle, Colorado. The private, non-instrument rated pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 91. The flight originated from Eagle, Colorado, at 1455. According to the Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), a man who identified himself as the pilot of N251B telephoned the facility at 1418 and filed an IFR flight plan. He indicated the airplane was "/R" [RNAV (area navigation) and transponder equipped, with altitude encoding capability]. True airspeed was given as 220 knots, and he proposed to depart at 2145Z (1445 mst). Initial cruising altitude was to be 17,000 feet. The route of flight from EGE (Eagle, Colorado), direct RLG (Kremmling, Colorado), direct BJC (Jefferson County Airport, Broomfield, Colorado), direct SNY (Sidney, Nebraska), direct ONL (O'Neill, Nebraska), direct FSD (Sioux Falls, South Dakota), direct FCM (Flying Cloud Airport, Minneapolis, Minnesota). The pilot estimated his time en route would be 3 hours, 15 minutes, and listed 5 hours of fuel on board. [According to Vail/Beaver Creek Jet Center, Inc., the airplane was serviced with 146.7 gallons of 100/130 octane aviation grade fuel on November 17. This filled all tanks to capacity. According to the Piper Aerostar 601P PILOT'S OPE

Probable cause

The pilot initiating flight into known adverse weather conditions without proper certification. Factors were the meteorological conditions that existed --- low ceiling, low visibility, and falling snow --- and his use of contraindicated drugs.

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.