# NTSB DEN79FA030: Aerostar 601P, N35FC, Aspen, CO, March 18, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: March 18, 1979
- Place: Aspen, CO · ASPEN, CO
- Location: 39.1952° N, 106.8368° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Aspen, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1952&lon=-106.8368&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 4 fatal
- Status: Completed, report February 13, 1980
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 136953
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN79FA030
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN79FA030

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3171  79/3/18    ASPEN,CO            AEROSTAR 601P       CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             COMMERCIAL, AGE 51, 2500
        TIME - 1604                    N35FC               PX-  3  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 12 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - PITKIN CO
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          ASPEN,CO                    AMARILLO,TX
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: CLIMB TO CRUISE
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - ATTEMPTED OPERATION W/KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - FAILED TO FOLLOW APPROVED PROCEDURES,DIRECTIVES,ETC.
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - IMPROPER EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE
        PARTIAL POWER LOSS - PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER - 1 ENGINE
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          BROKEN                                                    3000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      37
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          330                                                       6
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      IFR
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- PLT RPRTD ENG MALF.CRASH AFTER TURN BACK TWD ARPT.D/A APRX 8600FT.L ENG RPRTD ROUGH BEFORE TKOF.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N35FC](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N35FC-1979-07-14), registration cancelled 1979-07-14, S/N 61P-0256-048 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSTAR 601P
- Registry model: [Smith AEROSTAR 601P](https://openairdocs.org/model/smith-aerostar-601p) (registry code 8360608) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Pitkin Co

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19790318037529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790318037529A), Mar 18, 1979: Piper 601PSMITH, Aspen, CO, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Stated engine out on climb out. Acft at gross,near se ceiling. Tried to return. Lost control acft. Hit short of runway.

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.

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