Accident Shut Down Colorado Springs Airport For Nearly Two Hours

An accident on Wednesday involving a Mooney M-20 flown by an Air Force B-1B pilot fatally injured both the pilot and his wife.

Mooney M20 File Photo

Friends identified the pilot as Mark Anthony Riggin and his wife, Nicole from Rapid City, SD. According to the FAA accident report, the airplane was on approach and went down short of the runway. Weather at the time of the accident was reported at a quarter mile in fog and a 100 foot ceiling. FAA spokesman Allen Kenitzer told the Colorado Springs Gazette that Riggin was attempting an instrument approach at the time of the accident.

Riggin and his wife had left Rapid City Regional airport at 0918 local time en route to Colorado Springs, where Riggin had attended the Air Force Academy. He was stationed at Ellsworth AFB. FAA records show the 1964 M20E was registered to Riggin. It's most recent airworthiness certificate was issued September 8th. Riggin had started flying in high school, and graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2007.

B-1B Lancer File Photo

The paper reports that all inbound and outbound flights at Colorado Springs were halted following the accident. Traffic was diverted to Denver International.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.ntsb.gov