What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On January 5, 2002 at approximately 1600 MST, charles k. richards, pilot in command of Cessna 172, N78035 was involved in a cfit accident in day VMC and received fatal injuries. The aircraft impacted a ridge in the foothills 3 miles north of Boulder, CO at the 6300 foot level. Witnesses to the accident described the aircraft as impacting the hill in a wings level nose down attitude with power. The ATC radar track depicted the aircraft departed longmont airport, (2V2) at approximately 1530 MST and proceeded to repeatedly fly north and southbound in the vicinity between Boulder, CO and lyons, CO. Mr. Richards then circled his home in lyons, CO, proceeded southbound paralleling us highway 36 and switched his radar transponder code to the emergency 7700 code. The aircraft's track then turns abruptly westbound impacting approximately 1/2 of a mile west of the highway. The NTSB investigator interviewed the pilot's wife who indicated Mr. Richards was having severe family and personal problems in the past few months. (See attachment, N78035 accident factual report).
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON JANUARY 5, 2002 AT APPROXIMATELY 1600 MST, CHARLES K. RICHARDS, PILOT IN COMMAND OF CESSNA 172, N78035 WAS INVOLVED IN A CFIT ACCIDENT IN DAY VMC AND RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A RIDGE IN THE FOOTHILLS 3 MILES NORTH OF BOULDER, CO AT THE 6300 FOOT LEVEL. WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT DESCRIBED THE AIRCRAFT AS IMPACTING THE HILL IN A WINGS LEVEL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WITH POWER. THE ATC RADAR TRACK DEPICTED THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LONGMONT AIRPORT, (2V2) AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 MST AND PROCEEDED TO REPEATEDLY FLY NORTH AND SOUTHBOUND IN THE VICINITY BETWEEN BOULDER, CO AND LYONS, CO. MR. RICHARDS THEN CIRCLED HIS HOME IN LYONS, CO, PROCEEDED SOUTHBOUND PARALLELING US HIGHWAY 36 AND SWITCHED HIS RADAR TRANSPONDER CODE TO THE EMERGENCY 7700 CODE. THE AIRCRAFT'S TRACK THEN TURNS ABRUPTLY WESTBOUND IMPACTING APPROXIMATELY 1/2 OF A MILE WEST OF THE HIGHWAY. THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR INTERVIEWED THE PILOT'S WIFE WHO INDICATED MR. RICHARDS WAS HAVING SEVERE FAMILY AND PERSONAL PROBLEMS IN THE PAST FEW MONTHS. (SEE ATTACHMENT, N78035 ACCIDENT FACTUAL REPORT).
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.