NTSB to Unveil Factual Reports on Montrose, Colo. Plane Accident

As part of its continuing investigation into an accident involving an aircraft in Montrose, Colorado, the National Transportation Safety Board will open a public docket and release a series of factual reports on Thursday, Feb. 2, at 11 am.

On Nov. 28, 2004, at 9:58 (MST), a Canadair, Ltd., CL-600-2A12, N873G, owned by Hop-a-Jet, Inc., operated by Air Castle Worldwide Executive Jet Charter Inc. (YQCA), as Glo-Air flight 73, was destroyed when it departed runway 31 and collided with terrain during takeoff at the Montrose Regional Airport (MTJ), Montrose, Colorado. A post-impact fire ensued. The captain, flight attendant, and one passenger were fatally injured; the first officer and two passengers were seriously injured. The aircraft was departing for South Bend Regional Airport (SBN), South Bend, Indiana.

The information being released is factual in nature and does not provide analysis. It will include investigative group factual reports, interview transcripts, cockpit voice recorder transcript, and other documents from the investigation. Additional material will be added to the docket as it becomes available.

Analysis of the accident, along with conclusions and a determination of probable cause, will come at a later date when the final report on the investigation is completed.