CEN27LA005

On October 4, 2026, about 2130 mountain daylight time, a Diamond Aircraft DA-40 airplane, N162GL, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Eldorado Springs, Colorado. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. ADS-B data indicated that the flight departed from runway 29 at the Vance Brand Airport (LMO), Longmont, Colorado, about 1832. The pilot initially proceeded west and then south from LMO and maneuvered southwest of Boulder at altitudes up to 12,000 ft mean sea level (msl). He then flew about 68 miles to the northwest before reversing course, reaching altitudes of up to 15,000 ft msl during that portion of the flight. About 2036, the pilot returned to the vicinity of Boulder and maneuvered in that area between about 11,000 ft msl and 7,500 ft msl. The final ADS-B data point was recorded at 2129:39 and located about 1 mile north of Eldorado Springs. The altitude corresponding to that data point was about 7,375 ft msl. The Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT) network detected the airplane’s emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal at 2131. Notification of that signal was received by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at 2132. The Boulder County Sheriff’s Office was notified of the active ELT signal at 2143, and a search subsequently located the accident site about 1016 the following morning. The site was in mountainous terrain about 1 mile west of the final data point at an approximate elevation of 7,360 ft. The airplane impacted rising terrain about 300 ft below a ridgeline. The airframe was fragmented. Due to the difficulty of the terrain, and for safety reasons, the NTSB did not respond to the accident site. Airframe and engine examinations will be conducted after the wreckage is recovered to a secure location.