What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 26 November 2020, N87LW was scheduled to fly from Telluride regional airport (tex) to durango-la plata (dro) to retrieve a passenger and then return to tex. According to fuel receipts, the pilot dispensed 23.87 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel using the self-serve fuel pump at tex. At 1229, the airplane departed dro heading north with a destination of tex. The pilot in command (PIC) plus one passenger reached the Telluride area at 1256. The PIC contacted UNICOM and was given instructions for parking by the fixed base operator (FBO). The aircraft entered the traffic pattern while descending through 9,900 feet mean sea level (MSL) approximately 1 mile south of the runway 27 centerline at 100 knots. The PIC continued decelerating during the downwind approach while descending approximately 250 feet per minute (fpm). At 1259 the airplane began a left turn from the base leg toward a 0.5 statute mile (sm) final approach course to runway 27. During the turn, the airplane's rate of decent increased rapidly from 578 fpm to 3,700 fpm while continuing to decelerate to approximately 52 knots. At about this time the airplane stalled causing it to impact terrain nose down resulting in both PIC and passenger fatalities and substantial damage to the aircraft. Aircraft and pilot records are being sought but are currently unavailable. NTSB investigations are ongoing and this report will be amended as further determinations are made.
As the FAA filed it
ON 26 NOVEMBER 2020, N87LW WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY FROM TELLURIDE REGIONAL AIRPORT (TEX) TO DURANGO-LA PLATA (DRO) TO RETRIEVE A PASSENGER AND THEN RETURN TO TEX. ACCORDING TO FUEL RECEIPTS, THE PILOT DISPENSED 23.87 GALLONS OF 100 LOW-LEAD AVIATION FUEL USING THE SELF-SERVE FUEL PUMP AT TEX. AT 1229, THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED DRO HEADING NORTH WITH A DESTINATION OF TEX. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) PLUS ONE PASSENGER REACHED THE TELLURIDE AREA AT 1256. THE PIC CONTACTED UNICOM AND WAS GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS FOR PARKING BY THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR (FBO). THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WHILE DESCENDING THROUGH 9,900 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE SOUTH OF THE RUNWAY 27 CENTERLINE AT 100 KNOTS. THE PIC CONTINUED DECELERATING DURING THE DOWNWIND APPROACH WHILE DESCENDING APPROXIMATELY 250 FEET PER MINUTE (FPM). AT 1259 THE AIRPLANE BEGAN A LEFT TURN FROM THE BASE LEG TOWARD A 0.5 STATUTE MILE (SM) FINAL APPROACH COURSE TO RUNWAY 27. DURING THE TURN, THE AIRPLANE'S RATE OF DECENT INCREASED RAPIDLY FROM 578 FPM TO 3,700 FPM WHILE CONTINUING TO DECELERATE TO APPROXIMATELY 52 KNOTS. AT ABOUT THIS TIME THE AIRPLANE STALLED CAUSING IT TO IMPACT TERRAIN NOSE DOWN RESULTING IN BOTH PIC AND PASSENGER FATALITIES AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT AND PILOT RECORDS ARE BEING SOUGHT BUT ARE CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE. NTSB INVESTIGATIONS ARE ONGOING AND THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AS FURTHER DETERMINATIONS ARE MADE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.