Update: Damn. This is not going to go down as one of aviation's best weeks... not by a long shot.

To add insult to injury, we have the sad duty of reporting a horrific midair in Denver, Colorado. One single engine Cessna 172 and a multi-engine Piper Cheyenne II tangled over Northwest Denver, with fatal results and LOTS of national media exposure. Both planes were flying VFR and were reportedly 2400' AGL at the time of the collision. The C-172 carries 4 people and most Cheyennes (Cheyenne I, IA, II, and IIXL) can be configured to carry as many as 8 people, depending on model and seating configuration (though the longer fuselaged/T-tailed Cheyenne III, IIIA, and IV/400/400LS series can carry as many as 11, including pilots).

One private home was reported destroyed and some 24 other buildings were damaged. Worse; seven injuries to persons on the ground and five fatalities on the aircraft involved (three on the Cessna and two in the Cheyenne) were confirmed.

The two impact areas are described as 3400 W Moncrieff and 3200 W 26th (about six-twelve blocks apart according to a number of sources). The Cheyenne reportedly spun in and blew up on impact, killing two. Three bodies were recovered from the Cessna. The Cessna had departed Centennial Airport in Denver enroute to Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Cheyenne departed Broomfield to go to Centennial Airport.

The Piper Cheyenne II carried Leo Larson, 57, of Northglenn, and Fred Gregory White, 51, of Westminster. Piloting the Cessna 172-P Skyhawk was Jonathan Ross Ladd, 20, of Littleton--who was a student at Columbine High School during the rampage that transpired in 1999. Also on board were his friends Curtis Paul Maxey, 22, of Littleton, and Isaac Louis Murrow, 22, of Granby.

Unfortunately; Denver's media-hogging Mayor, Wellington Webb, making like midairs were a new and pervasive safety threat, is trumpeting his intention to meet with DOT, FAA, and NTSB officials to counter this new and insidious threat.... He claims to have a meeting scheduled with Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta to discuss whether "tighter flight restrictions should be enforced in the area."

Oh boy... another instant aviation expert is trying to direct aviation policy--and over a rare tragedy that averages some 16 occurrences, nationwide, per year (and only seven last year). We'll keep you updated...

**   Report created 1/27/03   Record 6   **
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 360LL        Make/Model: PA31      Description: PA-31/31P Navajo, Navajo Chief
  Date: 01/25/2003     Time: 0121
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: Y    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
  City: DENVER   State: CO   Country: US
DESCRIPTION
  ACFT N360LL, PA-31 COLLIDED WITH N52241, C-172 IN MIDAIR AT 7,600 FEET 17 WSW DENVER, CO, 5 POB BOTH AIRCRAFT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, 7 POB ON THE GROUND SUSTAINED INJURIES, DENVER, CO
INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   3
                 # Crew:  2     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: DEN METAR 250053Z 13014KT 10SM FEW080 SCT130 BKN220 04/M05 A3012
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation
  Departed: JEFFCO, DENVER, CO          Dep Date: 01/25/2003   Dep. Time: 0015
  Destination: CENTENNIAL, DENVER,C     Flt Plan: UNK          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: DEN 247017
  Last Clearance: PROCEED AS REQUESTED
  FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO  (NM03)                    Entry date: 01/27/2003

--

**   Report created 1/27/03   Record 10  **
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 52241        Make/Model: C172      Description: 172, P172, R172, Skyhawk, Hawk
  Date: 01/25/2003     Time: 0121
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: Y    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
  City: DENVER   State: CO   Country: US
DESCRIPTION
  ACFT N360LL, PA-31 COLLIDED WITH N52241, C-172 IN MIDAIR AT 7,600 FEET 17 WSW DENVER, CO, 5 POB BOTH AIRCRAFT SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES, 7 POB ON THE GROUND SUSTAINED INJURIES, DENVER, CO
INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   3
                 # Crew:  2     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   1     Fat:   1     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: DEN METAR 250053Z 13014KT 10SM FEW080 SCT130 BKN220 04/M05 A3012
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation
  Departed: CENTENNIAL, DENVER,C        Dep Date: 01/25/2003   Dep. Time: 0007
  Destination: CHEYENNE, WY             Flt Plan: UNK          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: DEN247017
  Last Clearance: 8,500 APPROVED IN CLASS BRAVO PROCEED ON COURSE
  FAA FSDO: DENVER, CO  (NM03)                    Entry date: 01/27/2003

FMI: https://www.nasdac.faa.gov