ANN REALTIME Update, 1334 EST, 10.24.05: A Columbia 300 (file
photo, below) is confirmed down, with two POB fatal, near Steamboat
Springs, CO, after a Saturday accident. The four seat, first
generation Lancair, (now called Columbia), certified aircraft was
reportedly on an IFR flightplan for most of the flight but canceled
IFR shortly before it impacted high terrain near Steamboat
Springs just mnutes from the airport.
The aircraft involved, N101HK, was a Lancair Columbia 300,
built/certificated in June of 2000 and re-sold to new owners this
past July. It was registered to Kittyhawk Partners Llc, of
Steamboat Springs, CO.
The aircraft went down Saturday night, north of Walton Peak on
Rabbit Ears Pass, on its way to Steamboat Springs Airport-Bob Adams
Field. The flight originated from Southeast Iowa
Regional airport in Burlington, Iowa. The Sheriff reports
having been notified at 1930 local time, via a hunter's cell phone.
The hunter, Dustin Woods of Denver, reported that the aircraft
was seen flying "dangerously low" and making sounds that he termed
as "backfiring... sputtering."
The Steamboat Pilot (the local newspaper)
reported that Woods heard a plane flying dangerously low
in the vicinity of Walton Peak. "They flew almost right over
our campsite... I heard three bangs, and then there was no
more motor noise."
A late night search was called off at 0130 the next morning and
resumed at daylight. A CAP search plane picked up the search,
followed by a helo, finding the aircraft at 1037. NTSB and FAA are
investigating.
This is the second fatal accident in the Columbia certified
airframe program. One week ago, a Columbia 400 was the first
certified Columbia to be involved in a fatal accident
when it impacted a high ridgeline among mountains in Southern
California. More info to follow...
** Report created 10/24/2005 Record 1 **
IDENTIFICATION
Regis#: 101HK Make/Model: LC40 Description: LC-40
Date: 10/23/2005 Time: 0120
Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N
Missing: N
Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
City: STEAMBOAT SPRINGS State: CO Country: US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD
WERE FATALLY INJURED, 10 E OF STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO
INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2
# Crew: 2 Fat: 2 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
# Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
WEATHER: KCAG 230053Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 08/01 A3010
OTHER DATA
Departed: BURLINGTON, IA Dep Date: Dep. Time:
Destination: STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, C Flt Plan: IFR Wx
Briefing:
Last Radio Cont: 10 E SBS Last Clearance: CNLD
IFR
FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO (NM03) Entry date: 10/24/2005