Pilot Identified As A Local Veterinarian

A Cirrus SR22 went down Friday night in a suburb of Denver, CO, resulting in the fatal injury of the pilot of the airplane.

That pilot has been identified as 67-year-old Robert Marquis, 67, from Glade Park, CO, southwest of Grand Junction. Television station KCNC reports that the plane went down shortly after takeoff from Centennial Airport when Marquis requested a return to the airport. Contact was lost with the airplane shortly after that request was made.

The engine of the plane went through the wall of a private residence and lodged in an interior wall. The person living in the home said it sounded like her house "exploded".

Local authorities said the debris field from the accident covered some two acres. South Metro Fire Rescue said the accident involved a high-speed impact. The airplane's CAPS parachute was not deployed.

Officials say that the airplane was headed east and was making turns before the accident occurred. The NTSB's Senior Air Safety Investigator Dr. Jennifer Rodi said that a preliminary report on the accident will be released in about 10 days.

(Image from file. Not accident airplane)

FMI: Original report