What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
After traveling to Pennsylvania, and buying the aircraft, the student pilot departed later than planned for California from jersey shore airport (P96) Pennsylvania in his Aerostar 601, N601X at about 11:19 a.m. MDT. His last stop prior to the accident was ft. collins loveland airport (fnl), CO, a line service technician reported the pilot was trying to start his right engine while taxiing in, but was unsuccessful. The aircraft was leaning ?quite a bit? To the right, and he topped of the tanks with 60 gallons in the left tank, 40 in the center and 10 in the right; when filling the left tank he had to ?push up the right wing up because it was leaning downward?. The technician noted there was a lot of fuel staining on the top and bottom surfaces of the right wing, he didn?t see an adsb. An an oxygen bottle was on board, but the quantity was not visible, and the pilot reported to ?the girl at the front desk? The oxygen system wasn?t working. The technician also reported ?the engines sounded fine except for the pilot running out of fuel?.
The pilot departed from ft. collins loveland airport at approximately 8:37 p.m. MDT, passing through 12,500 at 8:43 p.m., 18,000 at 8:55 p.m., FL201 at about 9:16 p.m., then climbing to FL234 just prior to a rapid descent at approximately 9:38 p.m. the climb and route flown was erratic during this time.
Weather reported near the accident site (Craig, Colorado) was reported to be: winds 360 at 17, gusting to 21. Nine statute miles visibility with light rain showers. Clouds were a few at 1800, broken at 2300, and overcast at 7000. Flight was at night time in a remote area which would often require some instrument flight skills, though not required below 18,000 MSL.
Pilot logbooks and records were not available. However, the pilot received his student pilot?s license issued 07/01/2019. The pilot?s last medical was a third class dated 06/24/2019, with a reported 30 hours of flight time.
When the wreckage was identified, it was noted the tail of the aircraft was not at the accident site, indicative of an inflight breakup. The result being the aircraft destroyed and the pilot deceased at the site.
A review of the available maintenance records indicates the aircraft was in airworthy condition. Airframe annual was conducted on 10/21/2019. However, the altimeter inspection due every 12 months for IFR or flight into class b airspace was last completed 6/27/2014.
As the FAA filed it
AFTER TRAVELING TO PENNSYLVANIA, AND BUYING THE AIRCRAFT, THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED LATER THAN PLANNED FOR CALIFORNIA FROM JERSEY SHORE AIRPORT (P96) PENNSYLVANIA IN HIS AEROSTAR 601, N601X AT ABOUT 11:19 A.M. MDT. HIS LAST STOP PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FT. COLLINS LOVELAND AIRPORT (FNL), CO, A LINE SERVICE TECHNICIAN REPORTED THE PILOT WAS TRYING TO START HIS RIGHT ENGINE WHILE TAXIING IN, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE AIRCRAFT WAS LEANING ?QUITE A BIT? TO THE RIGHT, AND HE TOPPED OF THE TANKS WITH 60 GALLONS IN THE LEFT TANK, 40 IN THE CENTER AND 10 IN THE RIGHT; WHEN FILLING THE LEFT TANK HE HAD TO ?PUSH UP THE RIGHT WING UP BECAUSE IT WAS LEANING DOWNWARD?. THE TECHNICIAN NOTED THERE WAS A LOT OF FUEL STAINING ON THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES OF THE RIGHT WING, HE DIDN?T SEE AN ADSB. AN AN OXYGEN BOTTLE WAS ON BOARD, BUT THE QUANTITY WAS NOT VISIBLE, AND THE PILOT REPORTED TO ?THE GIRL AT THE FRONT DESK? THE OXYGEN SYSTEM WASN?T WORKING. THE TECHNICIAN ALSO REPORTED ?THE ENGINES SOUNDED FINE EXCEPT FOR THE PILOT RUNNING OUT OF FUEL?.
THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM FT. COLLINS LOVELAND AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 8:37 P.M. MDT, PASSING THROUGH 12,500 AT 8:43 P.M., 18,000 AT 8:55 P.M., FL201 AT ABOUT 9:16 P.M., THEN CLIMBING TO FL234 JUST PRIOR TO A RAPID DESCENT AT APPROXIMATELY 9:38 P.M. THE CLIMB AND ROUTE FLOWN WAS ERRATIC DURING THIS TIME.
WEATHER REPORTED NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE (CRAIG, COLORADO) WAS REPORTED TO BE: WINDS 360 AT 17, GUSTING TO 21. NINE STATUTE MILES VISIBILITY WITH LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. CLOUDS WERE A FEW AT 1800, BROKEN AT 2300, AND OVERCAST AT 7000. FLIGHT WAS AT NIGHT TIME IN A REMOTE AREA WHICH WOULD OFTEN REQUIRE SOME INSTRUMENT FLIGHT SKILLS, THOUGH NOT REQUIRED BELOW 18,000 MSL.
PILOT LOGBOOKS AND RECORDS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. HOWEVER, THE PILOT RECEIVED HIS STUDENT PILOT?S LICENSE ISSUED 07/01/2019. THE PILOT?S LAST MEDICAL WAS A THIRD CLASS DATED 06/24/2019, WITH A REPORTED 30 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME.
WHEN THE WRECKAGE WAS IDENTIFIED, IT WAS NOTED THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT AT THE ACCIDENT SITE, INDICATIVE OF AN INFLIGHT BREAKUP. THE RESULT BEING THE AIRCRAFT DESTROYED AND THE PILOT DECEASED AT THE SITE.
A REVIEW OF THE AVAILABLE MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN AIRWORTHY CONDITION. AIRFRAME ANNUAL WAS CONDUCTED ON 10/21/2019. HOWEVER, THE ALTIMETER INSPECTION DUE EVERY 12 MONTHS FOR IFR OR FLIGHT INTO CLASS B AIRSPACE WAS LAST COMPLETED 6/27/2014.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.