Piper PA-24-400 N8510P

Summary

On 8 February 1991 at about 00:00 local time, a Piper PA-24-400 registered N8510P, operated by Brian Balarzs/Lester Beauchamp, was involved in an accident near Snowmass, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 February 1991 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Snowmass, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.3293, -106.9806

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-400

Registration

N8510P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Brian Balarzs/Lester Beauchamp

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Aspen → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN91FA039

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE TWO AIRPLINE PILOTS TOLD FRIENDS THEY WERE GOING SIGHTSEEING. WHEN THEY FAILED TO RETURN AS PLANNED, A SEARCH WAS BEGUN. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND 3 DAYS LATER. THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FLYING UP THE WEST SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN PASS WHEN IT STRUCK A TREE AND IMPACTED DEEP SNOW AT ABOUT THE 11,200 FOOT LEVEL. AUTOPSIES INDICATED BOTH PILOTS SURVIVED THE IMPACT. ONE OF THE PILOTS ATTEMPTED TO SEEK HELP. HIS BODY WAS FOUND ONE MILE FROM THE WRECKAGE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH FIRST AID OR SURVIVAL GEAR. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.