What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 17, 2022 at approximately 0938 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 337 skymaster impacted steep, forested terrain in Gold Hill, CO. The aircraft departed rocky mountain metropolitan airport, CO (kbjc) several minutes earlier on a local part 91 sightseeing flight. The pilot and three passengers were fatally injured and the aircraft was destroyed.
The pilot of a Cessna skymaster had departed kbjc sevveral minutes earlier flying northwesterly toward rising terrain in day, VFR conditions. Witnesses had reported that it sounded as if the engine(s) were "very loud" and straining prior to the aircraft dipping a wing and then spirialing towards the ground. There were no communications from the pilot after his departure from kbjc. The pilot had a little more than three hours in make and model. This was the first flight of the day for both the pilot and aircraft. Initial examination of the aircraft at the crash site revealed that the propeller of the rear engine had been feathered. A further, more detailed examination of the aircraft and its engines has yet to be conducted.
As new information becomes available this report may be ammended.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 17, 2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 0938 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 337 SKYMASTER IMPACTED STEEP, FORESTED TERRAIN IN GOLD HILL, CO. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ROCKY MOUNTAIN METROPOLITAN AIRPORT, CO (KBJC) SEVERAL MINUTES EARLIER ON A LOCAL PART 91 SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT. THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS WERE FATALLY INJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED.
THE PILOT OF A CESSNA SKYMASTER HAD DEPARTED KBJC SEVVERAL MINUTES EARLIER FLYING NORTHWESTERLY TOWARD RISING TERRAIN IN DAY, VFR CONDITIONS. WITNESSES HAD REPORTED THAT IT SOUNDED AS IF THE ENGINE(S) WERE "VERY LOUD" AND STRAINING PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT DIPPING A WING AND THEN SPIRIALING TOWARDS THE GROUND. THERE WERE NO COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE PILOT AFTER HIS DEPARTURE FROM KBJC. THE PILOT HAD A LITTLE MORE THAN THREE HOURS IN MAKE AND MODEL. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT OF THE DAY FOR BOTH THE PILOT AND AIRCRAFT. INITIAL EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE CRASH SITE REVEALED THAT THE PROPELLER OF THE REAR ENGINE HAD BEEN FEATHERED. A FURTHER, MORE DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ITS ENGINES HAS YET TO BE CONDUCTED.
AS NEW INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE THIS REPORT MAY BE AMMENDED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.