Amphibious Aircraft Departed from Montrose Regional Airport

On June 23, two men were killed when a Murphy Moose M14P crashed near Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ). Authorities confirmed that the plane failed to climb and impacted a dirt hill, catching fire immediately after.

The crash occurred north of MTJ in Colorado. The aircraft, a single-engine amphibious type, went down shortly after takeoff at around 10:00 am local time. A post-crash fire followed the impact, leaving no survivors.

The plane was identified by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as a Murphy Moose: a high-wing homebuilt utility aircraft powered by a radial engine. This particular aircraft was manufactured in 2008, and registration records list its base in Fort Myers, Florida, although it was reportedly still in the registration process.

According to Montrose County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Dave Farley, the airplane departed Montrose Regional Airport and began flying northbound before initiating a right turn. The aircraft failed to gain enough altitude and struck an adobe dirt hill in an open field. It proceeded to skid across a dirt road, come to a stop, and catch fire.

Emergency responders confirmed that both occupants, adult males, were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities have not yet been released, pending autopsies by the Montrose County Coroner’s Office.

“The Montrose County Coroner’s Office has taken custody of the deceased individuals and will conduct autopsies,” read a post from the Sheriff’s Office. “The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is scheduled to arrive in Montrose tomorrow to begin its investigation into the cause of the crash.”

The crash occurred on private land near a residential area but did not result in any injuries on the ground. The incident did not impact airport operations or road traffic in the area.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov