Commander 114-B accident near Snowmass Villag, Colorado, August 15, 2001
On August 15, 2001 at about 3:42 pm local time, a Commander 114-B, registered N994JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Snowmass Villag, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the rising terrain for undetermined reasons. Contributing factors include high density altitude conditions, and trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2001 · about 3:42 pm local time
- Place
- Snowmass Villag, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Commander 114-B
- Registration
- N994JT · no longer on the register · serial 14665
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, they were flying up the canyon to gain altitude to clear the mountain passes, and after approximately 10 minutes, had a gain of approximately 3,000 feet in altitude. There was no indication of an engine problem and the engine "appeared to be running smoothly, but the plane would not climb" and the airplane "mysteriously" began to lose airspeed to the point of descending 500 feet per minute in level flight. The airspeed was at 80 knots with "full power, and full pitch props, and leaned mixture." After recognizing the "flight condition," he only had a few minutes to "control the descent to a crash landing in the aspen trees." He stated that they did not receive any injuries upon impact; however, they received "flash burns," which he thought, "originated from fuel vapors from broken fuel lines." Witnesses stated that the airplane was flying approximately 100 feet above the trees and was "climbing with what seemed to be a constant engine speed." Just before the airplane disappeared behind a building, the left wing "drop slightly." Moments later, the engine noise stopped and a large black cloud of smoke appear above the trees. Another witness stated that approximately 20 minutes after calling 911 to report the accident, he observed the pilot and passenger walking down the road. He immediately assisted them and transported them to an approaching ambulance. A police officer observed a column of white smoke rising straight up and for nearly 100 feet above the trees. He stated that the wreckage was "engulfed in flames and moderately exploding," but the surrounding area was unaffected by the post-crash fire that consumed most of the wreckage. A post-examination of the airplane wreckage revealed no anomalies.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 720 hours in all; 630 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 720 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,260 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-540-T4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KASE Aspen CO at 3:26 pm
- Destination: KDDC Dodge City KS
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KASE, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.