Smith AEROSTAR 601P accident near Aurora, CO

On March 19, 2014, a Smith AEROSTAR 601P (airplane) was involved in an accident near Aurora, CO. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

March 19, 2014

Place

Aurora, CO

Aircraft

Smith AEROSTAR 601P · Airplane

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

39.671°N, 104.701°W

NTSB ID

20140319X12053

Official records · CEN14FA163

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

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn March 19, 2014, at 1650 mountain daylight time, N90464, a Smith Aerostar 601P twin engine airplane was destroyed when it collided with terrain while conducting low level aerobatics near Aurora, Colorado. The airline transport rated pilot/registered owner was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The time and location of where the airplane departed was not determined. A witness stated that the pilot planned to fly over his home that afternoon to show him and another mutual friend the airplane, which he had recently purchased. The witness, who was a retired military pilot, said he was standing outside his home about ¼-mile from the accident site, when he first saw the airplane approach from east to west. The airplane flew over a set of power lines and cleared them by about five feet at an estimated speed of 200-230 knots. The witness said the airplane then made a sharp right hand turn toward the north before it pitched straight up with the nose of the airplane going "pure vertical" and performed a "hammerhead stall." The witness said the pilot kicked full right rudder, descended, and recovered from the dive about 20 feet at above the ground. The airplane then headed toward the south and flew over the witness's home at a height of 20 feet above the roof. The witness said that as the airplane flew over his home, he was yelling out loud to the pilot to "Just stop!" He said the pilot then made two more "extremely low" passes. On the fif

Probable cause

The pilot's operation of the airplane while intoxicated, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.

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 · Smith 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.