Granby

The airplane was observed flying erratically at a low altitude, then enter a left wing, nose low attitude, impacting the ground in a residential area. Autopsies on both occupants included findings of massive traumatic injuries sustained during a struggle. The passenger reportedly planned to take his life by jumping out of an airplane over the mountains of Colorado because he believed he had an inoperable brain tumor.

During arrival, the pilot advised ARTCC that the destination airport appeared to be covered with fog. She then canceled her IFR flight plan. According to ground witnesses, the aircraft made several passes over the airport. Witnesses also reported that the horizontal visibility was nil, but they could see blue sky directly above. During the last pass, the aircraft crossed over the approach end of the runway with the gear and flaps extended, angling to the left of the runway heading. Moments later, witnesses heard the engines go to full power, then silence followed. The aircraft was found where it impacted rising snow covered terrain approximately 1/8 mile south of the midpoint of the airport. There was evidence that the aircraft was in a steep descending, right wing low attitude when it crashed. No preimpact part failure/malfunction was found. A passenger was seriously injured while five other occupants were killed.

The airplane was completing a charter flight from Denver to Granby on behalf of Conquest Aero Resources. While cruising in poor weather conditions (low clouds and snow falls), the pilot failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck a mountain located near Rollinsville. The wreckage was found two days later, on December 28, and all nine occupants have been killed.

Shortly after takeoff, while climbing, the pilot made a sharp turn when the aircraft stalled and crashed. The pilot Harold Case, instructor by the Granby Aero Club, was killed.