History of Flight
On January 6, 2024, at about 0945 mountain standard time, a Just Highlander airplane, N712DG, was destroyed in an accident near Dolores, Colorado. The pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
ADS-B data indicated that the airplane had flown from Cortez Municipal Airport (CEZ) in Cortez, Colorado, two days before the accident. The departure time was approximately 1601, and the airplane landed at the pilot's private dirt airstrip about 1616. The airstrip was located about 17 miles from CEZ. The airplane remained parked outside at the private airstrip until the morning of January 6.
On the morning of the accident, around 0915, a family member received a text message from one of the pilots stating they were flying back to CEZ. When the airplane did not arrive, an ALNOT was issued, and a search team was organized. At about 1400 on January 7, the wreckage was located by local law enforcement beyond the departure end of the private runway. A post-impact fire consumed most of the airplane.
No witnesses to the accident were identified, and no ADS-B or radar data existed for the accident flight. A local pilot flying in the area reported observing three tire tracks on the snow-covered dirt runway near the estimated time of the accident. Investigators could not determine the exact departure or accident time.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located about 610 feet beyond the departure end of the snow-covered, 1,800-foot dirt runway. The airplane came to rest on an approximate heading of 175°. A three-wire barbed fence between the runway and the wreckage exhibited damage consistent with impact. Barbed wire was wrapped around the root of one of the propeller blades approximately three times, indicating rotation at the time of fence impact. Snow that fell between the departure and the discovery of the airplane masked any ground scars from the impact sequence.
A post-impact fire consumed all fabric on the airframe structure, flight control surfaces, and cockpit instruments. Flight control continuity from the cockpit to the ailerons, elevator, and rudder was confirmed. Examination of the flight controls and airframe structure revealed no pre-impact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The engine separated from the fuselage and sustained fire damage. The three-bladed propeller assembly was found separated from the engine, located between the fence and the wreckage. Two of the three propeller blades exhibited impact damage. The propeller assembly had no fire damage.
The wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further examination. Both main landing gear struts were bent upward, and both wings were impact-separated. The engine could not be functionally tested due to fire damage, but examination revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot was performed at the Montezuma Morgue in Cortez, Colorado. The autopsy report listed blunt force trauma as the cause of death, and the manner of death was classified as accident.
Toxicology testing conducted at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory found 11 mg/dL glucose in the pilot's urine and was negative for all other tested substances.