Colorado Epic E1000 Crash Near Steamboat Springs Kills Four

A single-engine turboprop impacted Emerald Mountain while on approach to airport in CFIT accident.

Colorado Epic E1000 Crash Near Steamboat Springs Kills Four
[Credit: FAA]
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Key Takeaways:

  • An Epic E1000 aircraft crashed early Friday morning near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, killing all four people on board.
  • The plane went down on Emerald Mountain while approaching Bob Adams Airport, having been en route from Kansas City.
  • Weather observations around the time of the crash indicated varying cloud layers and light winds in the area.
  • The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the accident.
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Four people were killed early Friday morning when an Epic E1000 crashed near Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Routt County Sheriff Doug Scherar said the aircraft went down around midnight on Emerald Mountain while approaching Bob Adams Airport.

“Last night, four bodies were recovered by the Routt County Sheriff’s Office, search and rescue and the coroner,” Scherar told a local news outlet Friday, adding that identification of the victims was underway.

The aircraft, a 2024 Epic E1000, was en route from Kansas City’s Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport (KMKC) to Steamboat Springs (KSBS). Officials said the airplane struck terrain on the south-facing side of the mountain about three nautical miles south of the airport during the approach phase of flight. Data indicated the final ADS-B position was recorded near the summit shortly after 12:19 a.m. local time.

Weather observations recorded around the time of the accident indicated varying cloud layers and light winds in the Steamboat Springs area. Automated reports from Steamboat Springs Airport showed visibility ranging from five to 10 statute miles, with low broken and overcast layers between roughly 1,400 and 4,100 feet above ground level during the early morning hours. Surface winds were light and variable, and the observations were recorded within the hour surrounding the aircraft’s final approach.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board are responding and will investigate the accident. Authorities said the crash site was secured and access restricted while response teams worked in the area.

Matt Ryan

Matt is AVweb's lead editor. His eyes have been turned to the sky for as long as he can remember. Now a fixed-wing pilot, instructor and aviation writer, Matt also leads and teaches a high school aviation program in the Dallas area. Beyond his lifelong obsession with aviation, Matt loves to travel and has lived in Greece, Czechia and Germany for studies and for work.
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