Investigation Summary
The accident involved a complex web of informal leasing and chartering. Wichita State University had originally contracted for a Douglas DC-6, but after it was damaged in a windstorm, two Martin 4-0-4s were substituted. These aircraft had been in storage since 1967 and were only recently returned to service. On the day of the accident, the two planes (designated 'Gold' and 'Black') departed Denver's Stapleton International Airport after a refueling stop. While the 'Black' plane followed the standard north-westerly airway, the 'Gold' plane (N464M) took a scenic route west along U.S. Highway 6. The NTSB found that the pilots had performed virtually no flight planning for this route. As they entered the Clear Creek Valley, the terrain rose faster than the heavily loaded aircraft could climb. The pilots realized too late that they could not clear the Continental Divide at Loveland Pass. In a desperate attempt to reverse course in the narrow valley, the aircraft entered a stall and impacted the heavily wooded slope of Mount Trelease.
Final Conclusions
The NTSB determined the probable cause was the pilot's intentional operation of the aircraft over a mountain valley route at an altitude from which the aircraft could neither climb over the obstructing terrain nor execute a successful course reversal. Contributing factors included the overloaded condition of the aircraft, a total lack of flight planning for the chosen route, the crew's lack of understanding regarding the aircraft's performance capabilities, and a lack of operational management to monitor the flight crew.
Video Analysis
No video analysis linked for this case file yet.
Airframe & Maintenance
Crew Experience
Captain
Fatality. Was acting as the non-flying pilot at the start of the scenic leg.
First Officer
Survivor. President of Golden Eagle Aviation; was the pilot flying from the left seat during the accident leg.
Systems & Failure Modes
Pratt & Whitney R-2800 engines
The twin radial piston engines provided insufficient power to climb out of the box canyon given the high density altitude and the aircraft's overloaded state.
Operational Control
A significant failure in management; there was confusion over whether Jack Richards Aircraft or Golden Eagle Aviation was legally responsible for the flight's safety and planning.
Interesting Facts
- 01The aircraft was in an overloaded condition at the time of departure from Denver, according to the NTSB.
- 02The flight crew consisted of a Captain, a First Officer, and a flight mechanic who was acting as a crew member.
- 03Nine people survived the initial impact and fire, including eight players and the First Officer.
- 04The Martin 4-0-4 aircraft involved had not been flown regularly since 1967 before being pressed into service for this charter.
- 05The accident occurred just six weeks before the Marshall University football team plane crash.
Safety Actions & Advisories
Charter Industry Oversight
The investigation exposed major gaps in FAA oversight of 'dry leases' and air taxi operations, leading to stricter regulations on how charter companies and aircraft owners coordinate responsibilities.