Aero-News has learned Pueblo Community College President Mike Davis was the sole occupant onboard a Piper PA-24 that went down Thursday near the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado. He did not survive the accident.

The Associated Press reports Davis, 54, was enroute to Durango -- in the southwest corner of the state -- where he planned to land and then drive to nearby Cortez, to open a new office for the college.

A US Bureau of Land Management ranger reported a possible plane down near Alamosa at approximately 10 am Thursday morning, according to the Colorado State Patrol. The wreckage was located over eight hours later.

"Dr. Davis was respected and loved by his colleagues...," said Nancy McCallin, Colorado Community College System president. "He will be missed terribly and our thoughts and prayers are extended to his family, to the students, faculty and staff at PCC and to the Pueblo community."

There is no immediate word on what may have caused the Comanche (file photo of type, below right) to crash.

IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 5416P        Make/Model: PA24      Description: PA-24 Comanche
  Date: 08/03/2006     Time: 0000

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

LOCATION
  City: ALAMOSA   State: CO   Country: US

DESCRIPTION
  ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE ONE PERSON ON BOARD WAS
  FATALLY INJURED, ALAMOSA, CO

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

WEATHER: NOT REPORTED

OTHER DATA

  Departed: PUEBLO, CO                  Dep Date:    Dep. Time:     
  Destination: ALAMOSO, CO              Flt Plan: VFR          Wx Briefing: Y
  Last Radio Cont: 
  Last Clearance: 

  FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO  (NM03)                    Entry date: 08/04/2006

FMI: www.faa.gov