Extra EA-300 And C-172 Attempting To Land Same Runway At Colorado Airport

One person was killed and three others injured in a mid-air collision at the Fort Morgan Municipal Airport (KFMM) in Fort Morgan, Colorado, at about 10:40 am MT on Sunday August 31. The two aircraft, an Extra EA-300/LC and a Cessna 172M, each had two occupants and were attempting to land on runway 14 at the uncontrolled (non-towered) airport when they collided near the runway threshold.

Kristen Morris, an aerobatic competitor and member of the International Aerobatic Club, was in the Extra and sustained fatal injuries. The other occupant of the Extra was transported to a local hospital for treatment, and both occupants of the Skyhawk received minor injuries.

Both aircraft crashed and caught fire after the collision and were destroyed. The airport remains closed as both the FAA and NTSB are conducting an investigation into the accident.

ADS-B data indicate that the Skyhawk was on a straight-in approach to runway 14 while the Extra was on a left base-to-final turn to the same runway.

The Skyhawk was registered to the Bell Ornithopters Flying Club based at Rocky Mountain Metro Airport (KBJC) in Broomfield, Colorado, which was its departure airport for this flight. The Extra was registered to an LLC and based at FMM.

It had been reported earlier that the aerobatic team from the Metropolitan State University of Denver, the five-time champions of the Collegiate National Aerobatics competition, was participating in a competition over the weekend at FMM. However, no pilots from the MSU Denver team were competing at the time of this accident.

Fort Morgan Municipal is about a 90-minute drive northeast of Denver on the Colorado plains, 67 nm from Centennial Airport (KAPA) and 48 nm from Colorado Air and Space Port (KCFO). Those two airports, along with BJC, support multiple pilot training operations and flying clubs in the Denver metro area. FMM is among several destinations including Colorado Plains Regional (KAKO) and Limon Municipal (KLIC) that are frequently used for student training flights and for accumulating cross-country flying hours.

FMI:  asn.flightsafety.org/