What happened
On January 15, 2009, a Gulfstream Aerospace Corp Commander Division 690 C, registration N840NK, crashed four miles north-northeast of Wray Municipal Airport (K2V5) in Colorado. The flight, operated by J-W Operating Company, departed Centennial Airport (KAPA) for Wray with the intention of picking up a passenger before continuing to Dallas, Texas.
At approximately 0652, the flight was cleared for an RNAV/GPS approach to Runway 17. During the descent, the aircraft was operating under instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) with overcast skies. Witnesses on the ground reported seeing the aircraft flying low from the southwest to the northeast. They observed the airplane emerge from the clouds, pitch down to a near-vertical attitude, and impact the ground nose-first, which triggered a post-impact fire.
All three occupants—the pilot, the second pilot, and a passenger—sustained 3 fatal injuries.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage in a hangar in Greeley, Colorado. The aircraft's engines and propellers showed evidence of impact and heat, but no mechanical anomalies were found in the aircraft's systems. The de-icing boots on the horizontal stabilizers were found to be partially melted or torn.
An analysis of the aircraft's weight and balance revealed that the plane was significantly overweight. At departure, the aircraft weighed approximately 11,337 pounds, which was 962 pounds above the maximum ramp weight of 10,375 pounds. At the time of the accident, the weight was estimated at 10,887 pounds, which was 562 pounds above the maximum takeoff weight of 10,325 pounds. The center of gravity was estimated to be at or just forward of design limitations.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating in weather conditions conducive to structural icing, with an icing probability of up to 76 percent at certain altitudes.
- AIRMETs for moderate icing and instrument meteorological conditions were in effect for the flight route.
- The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing through a recorded source, such as the FAA Flight Service Station.
- The aircraft was operating in excess of its maximum allowable takeoff and ramp weights.