ANN REALTIME Update, 1334 EST, 10.24.05: A Columbia 300 (file photo, below) is confirmed down, with two POB fatal, near Steamboat Springs, CO, after a Saturday accident. The four seat, first generation Lancair, (now called Columbia), certified aircraft was reportedly on an IFR flightplan for most of the flight but canceled IFR shortly before it impacted high terrain near Steamboat Springs just mnutes from the airport.

The aircraft involved, N101HK, was a Lancair Columbia 300, built/certificated in June of 2000 and re-sold to new owners this past July. It was registered to Kittyhawk Partners Llc, of Steamboat Springs, CO.

The aircraft went down Saturday night, north of Walton Peak on Rabbit Ears Pass, on its way to Steamboat Springs Airport-Bob Adams Field. The flight originated from Southeast Iowa Regional airport in Burlington, Iowa. The Sheriff reports having been notified at 1930 local time, via a hunter's cell phone. The hunter, Dustin Woods of Denver, reported that the aircraft was seen flying "dangerously low" and making sounds that he termed as "backfiring... sputtering."

The Steamboat Pilot (the local newspaper) reported that Woods heard a plane flying dangerously low in the vicinity of Walton Peak. "They flew almost right over our campsite... I heard three bangs, and then there was no more motor noise."

A late night search was called off at 0130 the next morning and resumed at daylight. A CAP search plane picked up the search, followed by a helo, finding the aircraft at 1037. NTSB and FAA are investigating. 

This is the second fatal accident in the Columbia certified airframe program. One week ago, a Columbia 400 was the first certified Columbia to be involved in a fatal accident when it impacted a high ridgeline among mountains in Southern California. More info to follow...

** Report created 10/24/2005 Record 1 **
IDENTIFICATION
 Regis#: 101HK Make/Model: LC40 Description: LC-40
 Date: 10/23/2005 Time: 0120
 Event Type: Accident Highest Injury: Fatal Mid Air: N Missing: N
 Damage: Substantial
LOCATION
 City: STEAMBOAT SPRINGS State: CO Country: US

DESCRIPTION
ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, THE TWO PERSONS ON BOARD WERE FATALLY INJURED, 10 E OF STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, CO

INJURY DATA Total Fatal: 2
 # Crew: 2 Fat: 2 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
 # Pass: 0 Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
 # Grnd: Fat: 0 Ser: 0 Min: 0 Unk:
WEATHER: KCAG 230053Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 08/01 A3010
OTHER DATA
 Departed: BURLINGTON, IA Dep Date: Dep. Time:
 Destination: STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, C Flt Plan: IFR Wx Briefing:
 Last Radio Cont: 10 E SBS  Last Clearance: CNLD IFR
 FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO (NM03) Entry date: 10/24/2005

FMI: www.ntsb.gov, www.flycolumbia.com