Telluride – The pilot of a corporate plane was killed this morning when a multi-engine Piper Seneca crashed on Mount Wilson southwest of Telluride.
The pilot was the only person on board the plane owned by American Aviation Air Charter out of Salt Lake City. The plane was headed to the private Animas Airpark and had stopped at Walker Field Airport in Grand Junction prior to the crash. No flight plan had been filed.
Steve Hamilton with the Colorado Civil Air Patrol said witnesses saw the crash so a search for the plane wasn’t necessary. He said San Miguel County search and rescue personnel were able to reach the crash site quickly. The crash occurred at 12,500 feet near Woods Lake, a popular backcountry fishing and camping spot in the Uncompahgre National Forest.
No turbulent weather was reported in the area at the time. Jennifer Kaiser, an air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, said she would attempt to be at the crash site Friday morning but a storm front moving into that area may hamper her investigation until Saturday.
