What happened
On a charter mission operated by Conquest Aero Resources, an aircraft was en route from Denver toward Granby when it collided with terrain. The flight was navigating through challenging meteorological conditions characterized by falling snow and low cloud ceilings. During the cruise phase of the flight, the aircraft struck a mountain located in the vicinity of Rollins-ville.
The wreckage of the accident was discovered on December 28. There were nine fatalities among the occupants of the aircraft.
Findings
Official investigations concluded that the accident was the result of controlled flight into terrain. The pilot attempted to maintain visual flight rules (VFR) despite the presence of deteriorating weather conditions. Several contributing factors were identified in the crash, including:
- Poor in-flight decision making
- Deviation from established operating practices
- Presence of high obstructions
- Low cloud ceilings
- Heavy snow and fog