Raytheon Aircraft Company C90A accident near Pagosa Springs, CO

On October 5, 2007, a Raytheon Aircraft Company C90A (airplane) was involved in an accident near Pagosa Springs, CO. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

October 5, 2007

Place

Pagosa Springs, CO

Aircraft

Raytheon Aircraft Company C90A · Airplane

Injuries

3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

37.184°N, 106.584°W

NTSB ID

20071029X01672

Official records · DEN08FA003

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• ATC 3 - Factual Report of Group Chairman: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• ATC 3 - Aircraft Accident Package: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• ATC 3 - NTAP Radar Data: Document (TXT), on ntsb.gov
• Company Dispatch and Pilot Communications Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 4, 2007, at 2317 mountain daylight time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company C90A, N590GM, owned by Scenic Aviation Inc., and operated under the business name of Eagle Air Med, was destroyed when it impacted terrain during an en route descent, 22 miles east of Pagosa Springs, Colorado. A post-impact fire ensued. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The medical positioning flight was being operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The airline transport certificated pilot, flight nurse, and paramedic were fatally injured. The flight departed Chinle Municipal Airport (E91), Chinle, Arizona, approximately 2235, and was en route to San Luis Valley Regional Airport (ALS), Alamosa, Colorado. According to Eagle Air Med, the pilot and crew were dispatched at 2155 to ALS to pick up a patient. The pilot contacted company dispatch at 2236 with a departure time of 35 minutes after the hour. The pilot reported 12,500 feet as his cruising altitude and 20 minutes as his time en route. The dispatcher questioned this time and requested the pilot update his time en route after he had taken off. The pilot contacted company dispatch one last time at 2257 stating he was 30 minutes from ALS. The company dispatch did not have any flight following capabilities. The pilot contacted the Denver Air Route Traffic Control Center (ZDV) at 2243:54, identifying himself as "lifeguard king air five eight eight sierra alpha" (N588SA - another airplane owned and operated by Scenic A

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, improper in-flight planning and decision making, the dark night, and the controller's failure to issue a safety alert to the pilot.

More accidents in CO

• Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-14, Nov 15, 1987
• Grumman Gulfstream III, Mar 30, 2001
• Beech 1900, Jan 28, 2026
• Douglas DC3, Mar 9, 2019
• Piper PA-31-350, Dec 3, 2014

Browse: Colorado · Raytheon aircraft

See it on the map

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