What happened
Prior to departure, the pilot requested two separate weather briefings and submitted an IFR flight plan for a trip terminating in El Paso, Texas. The aircraft departed from Englewood at 19:59 and was lost from radar tracking at 20:10. The wreckage was located approximately 36 miles southeast of Englewood, specifically 11.5 miles southeast of the Kiowa VORTAC.
At the time of the disappearance, radar data indicated a significant area of snow showers spanning 15 miles in width southeast of the Kiowa VORTAC. Local witnesses on the ground described blizzard conditions in the vicinity. The flight resulted in two fatalities.
Findings
Investigations revealed that the pilot lacked an instrument rating and held a medical certificate that did not authorize night operations or flight by color control. Additionally, post-mortem examination of the pilot noted myxomatous alteration of the mitral valve, indicating mitral valve prolapse.
The accident was driven by the pilot's decision to fly into known adverse weather during the cruise phase of flight. Contributing environmental factors included high winds, gusts, snow, and turbulence which led to obscuration. The sequence of events involved spatial disorientation during maneuvering, ultimately resulting in an uncontrolled descent and collision with the snow-covered terrain.