What happened
On the morning of November 28, 2004, a charter flight operating as Glo-Air flight 73 crashed during its departure from Montrose Regional Airport in Colorado. The aircraft, a Canadair CL-600-2A12 with registration N873G, was performing an on-demand service under instrument flight rules for the operator Global Aviation. The flight was scheduled to travel to South Bend Regional Airport in Indiana.
At approximately 09:58 MST, the aircraft struck the ground while attempting to take off. At the time of the accident, the area was experiencing instrument meteorological conditions characterized by falling snow. The impact and subsequent fire following the collision resulted in the total destruction of the airframe.
There were six people on board the aircraft at the time of the accident. The crash resulted in three fatalities, involving the captain, a flight attendant, and one passenger. The remaining three occupants, consisting of the first officer and two passengers, sustained serious injuries.
Findings
- The aircraft was operating under instrument flight rules during active snowfall.
- The collision occurred during the takeoff phase of flight.