The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Salt Lake City, Utah
https://registry.faa.gov/N601X
Location: Craig, CO
Accident Number: CEN20LA160
Date & Time: 04/23/2020, 2139 MDT
Registration: N601X
Aircraft: Piper PA60
Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On April 23, 2020, at 2139 mountain daylight time (MDT), radar contact was lost with a Piper Aerostar 601X, N601X. The airplane was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Craig, Colorado. The uncertificated (student rated) pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
The airplane was not equipped with automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B), which was required for operations in airspace that included class E airspace at or above 10,000 ft. The flight had not been operating on a flight plan and had no communications with air traffic control as required when it operated in class A airspace above 18,000 ft. Aircraft maintenance logbooks showed that the airplane received it last regulatory annual inspection dated November 21, 2019, and its last altimeter inspection, up to 30,000 ft, was dated June 27, 2014.
Radar track data indicated that N601X departed Jersey Shore Airport (P96), Jersey Shore, Pennsylvania, about 1119 MDT, flying westbound at a cruise altitude of about 3,500 feet msl and had an average ground speed of about 180 - 190 kts until stopping at Findlay Airport (FDY), Findlay, Ohio, about 1251 MDT. Track data indicates N601X departed FDY about 1337 MDT, flying westbound at an altitude of about 3,500 ft, climbed once to about 5,500 ft, then descended to about 3,500 ft until later climbing to a cruise altitude of between 8,500-9,500 ft before descending into and landing at Red Oak Municipal Airport (RDK), Red Oak, Iowa, about 1618 MDT. Track data indicates N601X likely departed RDK about 1708 MDT, continuing westbound again, climbing to a maximum cruise altitude of about 9,500 ft, then descended and landed at Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL), Ft Collins/Loveland, Colorado, about 1949 MDT.
A line service technician employed by a fixed base operator (FBO) at FNL stated that he was sitting in the line shack when he saw N601X taxi from the runway. He said the airplane's right engine was not running, and the pilot was trying to start it. The engine did not restart, and the airplane continued to taxi to the ramp. He asked the pilot if everything was "okay," and the pilot said, "yeah cut it a little close on fuel." He said the airplane was leaning "quite a bit" toward the right, which he attributed to a fuel imbalance. The line service technician said there was "a lot" of fuel staining under the right wing and on top of the wing. He did not look at the left wing and did not know if the left wing had fuel stains. He said he looked in the airplane and did not see it equipped with ADS-B; he said that he did not know how the pilot was going to fly over the mountains. He said the airplane was equipped with a panel mounted Garmin 430 and a transponder with round knobs. He said he saw an oxygen tank in the airplane and did not know the amount of oxygen that was present in the tank. The line service technician said the airplane did not have a pressurization system. The line service technician said he topped off all three fuel tanks: left wing, right wing and fuselage tank. He said during fueling of left tank, he had to push up the right wing up because it was leaning downward. The pilot told him to make sure that the fuel tank cap on the fuselage was on tight because "the thing leaks." The line service technician said he double checked the fuselage fuel tank cap, and it was on "tight." The line service technician said the engines sounded fine except for the pilot running out of fuel during the after-landing taxi. He did not think the airplane was in "very good" condition.
A customer service representative at the FBO stated the pilot told her he purchased the airplane in New York and was "going to try to get over the mountains." The pilot said he flew on a commercial flight from California and on the same day he purchased the airplane. He said he had to go over the mountains and through Utah and was destined to California. She said the pilot was "really tired" and did not have cash to buy Red Bull, so she made him coffee. The pilot told her that he left New York later than he wanted too because he was talking with the former airplane owner. He told her the airplane was his fifth airplane that he owned.
Radar track data indicates N601X departed FNL about 2037 MDT turning westbound, climbing through about 12,000 ft, and made a left, almost 360° turn, continuing to climb throughout the turn, then flying west/southwest bound and reaching about 16,000 ft. The airplane continued west/southwest for a little over 40 miles climbing again and reaching about 22,000 ft, then turning right about 90° flying northbound, momentarily, before turning left and heading west/northwest and descending to about 20,000 ft, then back up again to about 22,000 ft, briefly, then back down to about 20,000 ft. The airplane then turned left to the southwest, then southbound, entering erratic flight climbing to over 23,000 ft, momentarily, before beginning to descend, entering a tight looping turn to the left and losing altitude rapidly, then showing a west/northwest heading in the final segment before track data was lost at about 2139 MDT.
An alert notice was issued, and the airplane wreckage was located by the Colorado State Highway Patrol on April 24, 2020, about 0336 MDT, about 15 miles west of Craig, Colorado.
Aircraft registry records showed that the pilot also owned a Cessna 310Q, N7742Q, which was based at San Martin Airport, near San Martin, California.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N601X
Model/Series: PA60 601
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: Pilot
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site:
Condition of Light: Night
Observation Facility, Elevation: CAG, 6198 ft msl
Observation Time: 2053 MDT
Distance from Accident Site: 15 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 7°C / 2°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 14 knots / , 270°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 6000 ft agl
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.02 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Ft Collins, CO (FNL)
Destination: , CA
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 40.951944, -108.340278 (est)
Those who may have information that might be relevant to the National Transportation Safety Board investigation may contact them by email eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov, and any friends and family who want to contact investigators about the accident should email assistance@ntsb.gov.
Scott Dewayne Mendez
June 8th, 1979 – April 24th, 2020
On April 24th, 2020, Scott Mendez, who was 40 years old, passed away suddenly in a plane accident chasing his dreams while flying. Scott was born June 8th, 1979, and was from San Jose, California. Scott will be forever remembered by his wife, parents, brother, nephew, partner, and precious children. A Funeral Service and a Celebration of life in memory of Scott will be held in the future.
https://www.gofundme.com
It’s with a heavy heart we come together to mourn the loss of Scott Mendez. Scott was only 40 years old. He leaves behind the love of his life Inez (her kids), his step children- Adrianna and Ben and his three small children- Savannah 9, Memphis 7 and Falynn 5. His death was very much unexpected. Scott was a pilot and lost his life in Colorado while doing what he loved best, flying. On behalf of my sister and Scott’s children, we ask for your support in raising funds to return Scott back home, funeral arrangements and other financial burdens that Inez will have to face. I understand times are very tough right now, especially with what's currently going on in the world but anything you can give would be greatly appreciated. Please continue to keep my sister and the kids in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. Please feel free to share this page. Thank you.
From the office of the Moffat County Coroner's Office:
The pilot who perished in the Thursday evening plane crash near Powder Wash, Rural Moffat County, Colorado has been identified as Scott Dewayne Mendez, 40, of San Jose, California. An autopsy is scheduled at 1:00 p.m., Monday, April 27, 2020, at Community Hospital in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Jesse Joe Arthurs, Moffat County Coroner
MOFFAT COUNTY, Colorado — The pilot of a small plane that took off from the Northern Colorado Regional Airport was killed when the plane crashed in western Moffat County around 10 p.m. Thursday night.
Denver Air Traffic Control notified the Moffat County Sheriff's Office about the possible crash in the Powder Wash area off Moffat County Road 4 at 9:50 p.m.
The Powder Wash area is just south of the Wyoming border and about 60 driving miles northwest of Craig.
Deputies responded to the area and located a crashed fixed-wing aircraft at about 3:20 a.m on Friday.
The preliminary investigation indicates that the Ted Smith Aerostar 601 plane crashed into the ground, killing the pilot.
A spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said the plane had taken off earlier Thursday from the Loveland airport earlier in the evening.
The identity of the pilot will be released by the Moffat County Coroner’s Office after appropriate notifications have been made.
Craig is located in northwest Colorado about 198 driving miles from Denver.
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