Two Killed At Monarch Pass

It may be some time before Colorado authorities can identify the two victims of a mountain mishap. Gunnison County coroner Frank Vader says the bodies are just too badly burnt for him to make a positive ID on either without the dental records.

The identification will take some time," Vader told the Rocky Mountain News.

The Cessna 172 went down in Monarch Pass, hitting the ground at an altitude of 11,312 MSL. Witnesses said the pilot made a hard right turn, lost airspeed and lost altitude.

FAA Preliminary Accident Report

IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 911JR    Make/Model: C172   Description: 172, P172, R172, Skyhawk, Hawk XP, Cutlass
 Date: 08/09/2004   Time: 2330

 Event Type: Accident  Highest Injury: Fatal   Mid Air: N  Missing: N
 Damage: Unknown

LOCATION
 City: GUNNISON          State: CO  Country: US

DESCRIPTION
 ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD WERE
 FATALLY INJURED, 25 E OF GUNNISON, CO

INJURY DATA   Total Fatal:  2
         # Crew:  1  Fat:  1   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Pass:   1  Fat:  1   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 
         # Grnd:       Fat:  0   Ser:  0   Min:  0   Unk: 

WEATHER: KGVC 092355Z AUTO 320166 20KT 10SM CLR 27/M06 A3039    

OTHER DATA
 Activity: Unknown   Phase: Unknown   Operation: General Aviation

 Departed: UNK             Dep Date:  Dep. Time:  
 Destination: UNK           Flt Plan: NONE     Wx Briefing: Y
 Last Radio Cont: UNK
 Last Clearance: UNK

 FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO (NM03)          Entry date: 08/10/2004

FMI: www.ntsb.gov