Accident Overview
A recently purchased aircraft, occupied by a pilot, a pilot-rated friend (both airline pilots), and the pilot's wife, crashed in visual meteorological conditions (VMC) at approximately the 10,000-foot level in Medano Pass, about 30 miles from Alamosa, Colorado. The flight originated from Falcon Field in Mesa, Arizona, with an overnight stop in Alamosa (elevation 7,608 feet MSL). The next morning, the trio departed Alamosa, flew over Great Sand Dunes National Monument, and entered Medano Pass, where the accident occurred.
Terrain and Conditions
The terrain in the area rises rapidly at an approximate 20-degree angle. At the time of the crash, the computed pressure altitude at Alamosa was 7,238 feet MSL, and at the crash site it was 9,630 feet MSL. The aircraft's computed rate of climb was 195 feet per minute and 70 feet per minute, respectively (interpreted as values at those altitudes, though the source does not specify which corresponds to which). The aircraft was under maximum gross weight and within center of gravity limits at both takeoff and impact.
Post-Crash Fire
Shortly after the crash, the aircraft caught fire, fueled by cans of flammable liquids stored in the baggage compartment.