N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aurora, Colorado 88016
Wednesday, March 19, 2014 16:50 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot’s friend reported that the pilot planned to fly his recently purchased twin-engine airplane over his friend’s home to show it to him and another friend.  The pilot’s friends and several other witnesses reported observing the pilot performing low-level, high-speed aerobatic maneuvers before the airplane collided with trees and then terrain. A 1.75-liter bottle of whiskey was found in the airplane wreckage. A review of the pilot’s Federal Aviation Administration medical records revealed that he had a history of alcohol dependence but had reportedly been sober for almost 4 years. Toxicological testing revealed that the pilot had a blood alcohol content of 0.252 milligrams of alcohol per deciliter of blood, which was over six times the limit (0.040) Federal Aviation Regulations allowed for pilots operating an aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's operation of the airplane while intoxicated, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/2014
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Aurora
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88016
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 393336N
Event Location Longitude 0410448E
Event Location Airport N/A
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID BKF
Elevation of weather observation facility 5664
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 22000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32983
NTSB Notification Source ASW ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 31 2014 6:43PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N90464
NTSB Number CEN14FA163
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SMITH
Aircraft Model AEROSTAR 601P
Aircraft Series Identifier P
Aircraft Serial Number 61P-0261-051
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Unknown
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 5
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 30 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1975
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Gregory D. Pelley
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Kiowa
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80117
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Gregory D. Pelley
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Kiowa
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 80117
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event --
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City --
Departure State --
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Aurora
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 31 2014 6:41PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --