20000430011889A

Accident · No damage

FAA accident report · Smith AEROSTAR 601 · Estes Park, CO · April 30, 2000

Date: April 30, 2000 · 12:11 local
Place: Estes Park, CO
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: No damage
Aircraft: N7421S
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN00FA086
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2

N7421SRegistration cancelled Jul 23, 2013 · Smith AEROSTAR 601S/N 61-0006 · Built 1969 Airframe modelSmith AEROSTAR 601 Engine modelLycoming TI0-540 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On April 30, 2000, at 1211 MDT, a smith Aerostar 601, N7412S was destroyed when it impacted at 12,600 feet above mean sea level on commanche peak in the rocky mountains national park, near Estes Park, CO. The private certified non-instrument rated pilot and his passenger received fatal injuries, and the a/c was destroyed. The flight was a cross-country flight operating under title 14 CFR part 91 and no flight plan was filed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. The flight departed page, AZ. At approx. 1030, destination, fort collins, CO.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON APRIL 30, 2000, AT 1211 MDT, A SMITH AEROSTAR 601, N7412S WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED AT 12,600 FEET ABOVE MEAN SEA LEVEL ON COMMANCHE PEAK IN THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK, NEAR ESTES PARK, CO. THE PRIVATE CERTIFIED NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES, AND THE A/C WAS DESTROYED. THE FLIGHT WAS A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED PAGE, AZ. AT APPROX. 1030, DESTINATION, FORT COLLINS, CO.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN00FA086Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportEstes Park, COA descent below the surrounding terrain, by the pilot, in IMC conditions. Factors were high mountainous terrain, clouds, inaccurate weather evaluation by the pilot, and the pilot's flight into IMC conditions.Apr 30, 2000 · Destroyed