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3 fatalities

Mountainous Terrain Impact During Night IFR Flight (N590GM)

Pagosa Springs-Stevens Field, United States of AmericaFlight

On October 4, 2007, a Beechcraft 90 King Air (registration N590GM) operated by Scenic Aviation (Eagle Air Med) was involved in an aviation accident near Pagosa Springs-Stevens Field, United States of America in flight. 3 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, improper in-flight planning and decision making, the dark night, and the controller's failure to issue a safety… This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A).

Sourcesthe Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A)Primary reportUpdated 2026-06-11Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot flying under instrument conditions failed to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain, resulting in a collision. Contributing factors included inadequate planning, dark night, and no safety alert from ATC.

Flight Progression and ATC Contact During the flight, the pilot contacted air traffic control using an incorrect call sign to request radar flight following. The aircraft initially climbed to 13,500 feet, descended to 11,500 feet, climbed back to 13,500 feet, and then began a final descent, impacting terrain at 11,900 feet. One minute before impact, the pilot inquired about minimum altitudes for the route. The controller provided a minimum instrument altitude of 15,000 to 15,300 feet. A review of the ATC handling indicated the controller was aware of the aircraft's position, altitude, general route, and proximity to terrain, but no safety alert was issued to the flight.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight planning, improper in-flight planning and decision making, the dark night, and the controller's failure to issue a safety alert to the pilot.
Controlled flight into terrain

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