LAPORTE, CO, USA
N6208W
CESSNA P210N
THE PLT WAS A BUSINESS MAN, INVOLVED IN BUILDING/CONSTRUCTION WORK. ON THE MORNING OF THE ACDNT, HE HAD BREAKFAST WITH FRIENDS WHO SAID HE WAS IN GOOD SPIRITS & WAS GOING TO FLY BEFORE GOING TO WORK. WITNESSES NEAR THE ACDNT SITE SAW THE ACFT FLYING IN THE AREA. THEY THOUGHT THE PLT MAY HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR A ROCK QUARRY THEY HAD FOR FOR SALE OR WAS INTERESTED IN A NEARBY SITE FOR A RECENTLY PROPOSED RESERVOIR. A UNICOM OPERATOR RECEIVED A DISTRESS CALL FROM THE PLT STATING HE HAD A 'STUCK ELEVATOR' & WAS GOING TO MAKE AN EMERG LNDG. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A ROCK WALL, APRX 100' BELOW A RIDGE LINE & 800' ABOVE A NEARBY VALLEY FLOOR. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A NOSE-LEVEL, SLIGHTLY R WING LOW ATTITUDE WHILE AT HI SPEED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FND; HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS COMPLETELY DESTOYED BY IMPACT. A SUBSEQUENT CORONER'S INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PLT HAD FINANCIAL PROBLEMS& LISTED HIS DEATH AS SUICIDE; HOWEVER, THE PLT HAD MADE NO KNOWN DECLARATION OF INTENT TO PERFORM SUCH AN ACT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
Aviation Accidents App
In-Depth Access to Aviation Accident Reports
