What happened
The pilot departed Front Range Airport, which has an elevation of 5,512 feet, at approximately 2008. After climbing to 7,000 feet MSL and accelerating to 270 knots, the pilot requested IFR clearance. At the time of departure for N950TT, weather conditions included a 500-foot overcast layer; witnesses noted that the tops of these clouds reached 8,500 feet MSL and that conditions were very dark above the layer due to the lack of stars or moonlight.
Following several changes in climb rate and airspeed, radar tracked the Swearingens aircraft entering an 8,500 fpm descent. The pilot notified air traffic control that he had stalled the airplane. Radar data subsequently showed the aircraft climbing at 7,500 fpm until the estimated airspeed dropped to 10 knots, followed by a final descent of 8,400 fpm until the aircraft impacted the frozen ground. The pilot was the sole occupant and sustained 1 fatality.
Findings
In the period preceding the accident, the pilot had completed four flights totaling 7 hours over the previous 40 days. During the investigation, five airline pilots, each possessing between 3,000 and 5,000 hours of experience in the Swearingens aircraft, provided statements regarding the operational demands of the type. Although the aircraft is certified for single-pilot operations, these pilots stated their belief that the workload is too high for one person and that it should be considered a two-pilot airplane.