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20050609010649A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-34-200T · Telluride, CO · June 9, 2005

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 9, 2005 · 09:33 local
Place
Telluride, CO
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator
EEJA
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N81659
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN05FA087
Reported as
Piper PA34200T
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Pilot’s flight hours
2,142 total1,134 in this make and model226 in the last 90 days
N81659Registration cancelled Aug 18, 2006 · Piper PA-34-200TS/N 34-8070143 · Built 1980Airframe modelPiper PA-34-200TEngine modelContinental TSIO-360 seriesReciprocating

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 06/09/05 at 0933 MDT a Piper PA-34-200T, N81659, s/n 34-8070143, impacted terrain 11 nautical miles southwest of Telluride co. the aircraft was conducting a part 135 cargo flight for American aviation inc. (eeja) based in salt lake city ut. The accident occurred while enroute from grand junction co (gjt) to animas airpark, durango, CO (56CO). Pilot in command privacy data omitted was killed. The aircraft was destroyed and a post crash fire did occur. Witnesses stated they heard a small aircraft overfly the immediate area, and approx 30 seconds later they stated that they heard an explosion, and could see a rock slide and black smoke rising from the face of Mt. Wilson, some 1.7 miles from their location at woods lake. A 911 call to the san miguel sheriff's department was placed by the witness. At 1010 MDT the aircraft was reported overdue by the company when it had not arrived in durango. A search was conducted and the site was found, at approx 1028 MDT. The wreckage was located on the western slope of Mt. Wilson at 12,800 feet, the site is located on a vertical face on unstable rocky terrain, access only available by helicopter.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 06/09/05 AT 0933 MDT A PIPER PA-34-200T, N81659, S/N 34-8070143, IMPACTED TERRAIN 11 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHWEST OF TELLURIDE CO. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING A PART 135 CARGO FLIGHT FOR AMERICAN AVIATION INC. (EEJA) BASED IN SALT LAKE CITY UT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE ENROUTE FROM GRAND JUNCTION CO (GJT) TO ANIMAS AIRPARK, DURANGO, CO (56CO). PILOT IN COMMAND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS KILLED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND A POST CRASH FIRE DID OCCUR. WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD A SMALL AIRCRAFT OVERFLY THE IMMEDIATE AREA, AND APPROX 30 SECONDS LATER THEY STATED THAT THEY HEARD AN EXPLOSION, AND COULD SEE A ROCK SLIDE AND BLACK SMOKE RISING FROM THE FACE OF MT. WILSON, SOME 1.7 MILES FROM THEIR LOCATION AT WOODS LAKE. A 911 CALL TO THE SAN MIGUEL SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT WAS PLACED BY THE WITNESS. AT 1010 MDT THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTED OVERDUE BY THE COMPANY WHEN IT HAD NOT ARRIVED IN DURANGO. A SEARCH WAS CONDUCTED AND THE SITE WAS FOUND, AT APPROX 1028 MDT. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ON THE WESTERN SLOPE OF MT. WILSON AT 12,800 FEET, THE SITE IS LOCATED ON A VERTICAL FACE ON UNSTABLE ROCKY TERRAIN, ACCESS ONLY AVAILABLE BY HELICOPTER.

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 DEN05FA087Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportTelluride, COthe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain. Contributing to the accident were the high, rising terrain and fatigue.Jun 9, 2005 · Destroyed

Other reports on N81659 · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20020206002069ILevel Off Touchdown · Rock Springs, WY(-23) After takeoff from Rock Springs the pilot noticed that the nose gear did not fully retract. After several attempts to lower and raise the landing gear the pilot elected to land at Rock Springs knowing that the nose gear was not fully extended. After…Feb 6, 2002 · Minor damageIncident 19900317014399IForced/Precautionary Landing · Fayetteville, ARRight engine feathered. Precautionery landing on a highway. Found a defective fuel line.Mar 17, 1990