What happened
On June 23, 2025, at approximately 10:21 mountain daylight time, a Murphy Aircraft Manufacturing Moose, registration N250MK, crashed near Montrose, Colorado. The aircraft was being operated as a Part 91 ferry flight, traveling from Westwinds Airport (D17) in Delta, Colorado, to Buckingham Field Airport (FL59) in Fort Myers, Florida.
Prior to the accident, the aircraft had stopped at Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ) to take on 100 LL fuel. A witness on the airport ramp observed the aircraft depart from runway 31, noting a nose-up attitude and an apparent failure to climb, resulting in a loss of altitude. A second witness, located in a nearby residential area, observed the aircraft flying north at an estimated speed of 50 mph and an altitude of approximately 150 feet above ground level. The aircraft then turned east, continued to descend, and struck bluffs located behind a residence.
The left wing of the aircraft struck an elevated dirt driveway before the plane came to rest. A post-impact fire occurred, which destroyed the aircraft. The accident resulted in 2 fatal injuries to the pilot and the pilot-rated passenger.
The investigation
The wreckage was recovered and moved to a secure location for examination. Investigators recovered a GoPro HERO13 camera and a Garmin D/D2 Mach 1 Pro watch from the debris, which were sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory.
The aircraft, which was built from a kit in 2008, was equipped with a 360-horsepower Vedeneyev M14P radial engine, a three-blade MT Propeller, and Montana Float Company 3500 Series amphibious floats. At the time of the accident, the estimated density altitude at MTJ was approximately 7,250 feet.