Denver - Montrose

PM Air flight 824, a Federal Express scheduled domestic cargo flight, departed Denver, CO, at 0642, IFR to Montrose, CO. Flight was cleared to FL180, but pilot cancelled IFR at 0653. Radar showed aircraft leveled off at 14,500 feet on southwest heading. Aircraft maintained relative constant altitude and heading before crashing 50 feet below summit of 14,221-feet Mt Massive, second tallest peak in Colorado, at approximately 0719. Weather was cavu. Toxicological tests revealed marijuana metabolite level of 37 ng/ml in urine and 1 ng/ml in blood. Pilot was once convicted in 1974 for possession of controlled substance, but had no other alcohol/drug convictions. Evidence indicates pilot obtained adequate sleep prior to flight. During autopsy, two pages from airmen's information manual were found clutched in plt's hands. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Flight / Schedule

Denver - Montrose

Registration

N835FE

MSN

208-0091

Year of Manufacture

1986

Date

January 17, 1990 at 07:19 AM

Type

CRASH

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Crash Location

Mt Massive Colorado

Region

North America • United States of America

Coordinates

39.1875°, -106.4756°

Crash Cause

Human factor

Narrative Report

On January 17, 1990 at 07:19 AM, Denver - Montrose experienced a crash involving Cessna 208A Caravan, operated by Federal Express - FedEx, with the event recorded near Mt Massive Colorado.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was flight at a mountains crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 100.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. PM Air flight 824, a Federal Express scheduled domestic cargo flight, departed Denver, CO, at 0642, IFR to Montrose, CO. Flight was cleared to FL180, but pilot cancelled IFR at 0653. Radar showed aircraft leveled off at 14,500 feet on southwest heading. Aircraft maintained relative constant altitude and heading before crashing 50 feet below summit of 14,221-feet Mt Massive, second tallest peak in Colorado, at approximately 0719. Weather was cavu. Toxicological tests revealed marijuana metabolite level of 37 ng/ml in urine and 1 ng/ml in blood. Pilot was once convicted in 1974 for possession of controlled substance, but had no other alcohol/drug convictions. Evidence indicates pilot obtained adequate sleep prior to flight. During autopsy, two pages from airmen's information manual were found clutched in plt's hands. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N835FE, MSN 208-0091, year of manufacture 1986.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 39.1875°, -106.4756°.

Fatalities

Total

1

Crew

1

Passengers

0

Other

0

Crash Summary

PM Air flight 824, a Federal Express scheduled domestic cargo flight, departed Denver, CO, at 0642, IFR to Montrose, CO. Flight was cleared to FL180, but pilot cancelled IFR at 0653. Radar showed aircraft leveled off at 14,500 feet on southwest heading. Aircraft maintained relative constant altitude and heading before crashing 50 feet below summit of 14,221-feet Mt Massive, second tallest peak in Colorado, at approximately 0719. Weather was cavu. Toxicological tests revealed marijuana metabolite level of 37 ng/ml in urine and 1 ng/ml in blood. Pilot was once convicted in 1974 for possession of controlled substance, but had no other alcohol/drug convictions. Evidence indicates pilot obtained adequate sleep prior to flight. During autopsy, two pages from airmen's information manual were found clutched in plt's hands. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Cause: Human factor

Occupants & Outcome

Crew On Board

1

Passengers On Board

0

Estimated Survivors

0

Fatality Rate

100.0%

Known people on board: 1

Operational Details

Schedule / Flight

Denver - Montrose

Flight Type

Cargo

Flight Phase

Flight

Crash Site

Mountains

Region / Country

North America • United States of America

Aircraft Details

Registration

N835FE

MSN

208-0091

Year of Manufacture

1986