History of Flight
On November 26, 2020, at approximately 1259 mountain standard time, a Vans RV-4 airplane, registered as N87LW, was substantially damaged when it collided with mountainous terrain near Telluride, Colorado. The pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
According to the manager of Telluride Regional Airport (TEX), the pilot informed a fixed-base operator (FBO) employee that he intended to fly from TEX to Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO) to pick up a passenger and then return to TEX. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data showed the airplane departed TEX on runway 27 at 1125, flew direct to DRO, and landed on runway 3 at 1150. At 1229, the airplane departed DRO on runway 3 and proceeded north back toward TEX.
At 1256:39, the airplane turned onto a left downwind for runway 27 at TEX. An FBO employee monitoring the UNICOM frequency reported that the pilot transmitted that he was on the downwind leg. The employee advised the pilot to park in the hangar after landing, and the pilot responded “cool.” ADS-B data indicated that during the downwind leg, the airplane was descending through 10,000 ft mean sea level, flying about 1 statute mile south of the runway 27 centerline, and descending at approximately 250 feet per minute. It entered the traffic pattern at 100 knots calibrated airspeed and decelerated during the downwind and base legs.
At 1258:12, the airplane entered a left turn toward the base leg, continuing to descend and decelerate. At 1258:58, it turned left from the base leg toward a half-mile final approach course. During the final four seconds of ADS-B data, the airplane decelerated to 50 KCAS, its descent rate increased from 600 to 3,850 feet per minute, and its roll angle varied between 23° and 88° left-wing down. According to the airplane kit manufacturer, the wings-level aerodynamic stall speed at maximum gross weight (1,500 lbs) was 47 KCAS.
The FBO employee reported hearing a brief transmission where the pilot exclaimed “oh [expletive]” on the UNICOM frequency. The airplane subsequently disappeared from the FBO’s flight tracking system, and a representative from the United States Air Force Search and Rescue contacted the airport about an emergency locator transmitter signal. Airport security camera footage showed the airplane in a left-wing-down, nose-low descending turn into mountainous terrain east of the airport; no postimpact fire or explosion was visible. Multiple witnesses reported seeing the airplane enter a steep left turn followed by a nose-down descent; one witness observed three or four spins and noted that the engine sound was “quite loud.”
Aircraft and Flight Information
The pilot’s flight logbook was not located during the investigation. The airplane’s maintenance logbooks were also missing. According to the kit manufacturer, the airplane had a useable fuel capacity of 32 gallons, divided evenly between two wing fuel tanks. A fuel purchase receipt indicated that before departing from TEX to DRO, the pilot dispensed 23.87 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel from the self-serve pump at TEX.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted mountainous terrain about half a statute mile east-southeast of the runway 27 threshold at TEX, at an elevation of approximately 8,877 ft msl. The impact was nose-down into steep terrain. All major structural components and flight control surfaces were present at the accident site. Postaccident examination at a secure facility revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure that would have prevented normal operation. All damage to the airframe, engine, and propeller was consistent with ground impact.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy authorized by the San Miguel County Coroner’s Office determined that the pilot’s cause of death was multiple traumatic injuries, and the manner of death was an accident. No significant natural disease was identified. Toxicological testing by the Federal Aviation Administration Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected morphine in the pilot’s urine at 34 nanograms per milliliter but not in his cavity blood. The non-impairing pain reliever acetaminophen (commonly known as Tylenol) was present in both cavity blood and urine. The laboratory noted that morphine may be prescribed for pain relief or appear as a metabolite of codeine; both codeine and morphine are impairing medications and can affect the ability to operate machinery. Codeine is often prescribed in combination with acetaminophen.