# Accident 20050609010649A: Piper PA34200T, Telluride, CO, June 9, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 9, 2005, 09:33 local time
- Place: Telluride, CO
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EEJA
- Location: 37.8611° N, 108.0364° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8611&lon=-108.0364&mi=10
- Aircraft: N81659, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N81659-2006-08-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-200T (registry code 7103406, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-200t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360 series (registry code 17019, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA34200T
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 2,142 total, 1,134 in this make and model, 226 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN05FA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05FA087) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050609010649A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN05FA087](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05FA087), Jun 9, 2005: Piper PA-34-200T (N81659), Telluride, CO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain. Contributing to the accident were the high, rising terrain and fatigue.

## Other reports on N81659 (2)

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

- [Incident 20020206002069I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020206002069I), Feb 6, 2002: Piper PA34200T (N81659), Rock Springs, WY, Minor damage. (-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…
- [Incident 19900317014399I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900317014399I), Mar 17, 1990: Piper PA34200T (N81659), Fayetteville, AR. Right engine feathered. Precautionery landing on a highway. Found a defective fuel line.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.