Mid-air collision Accident Sonex Xenos N255BF,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 283474
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Saturday 17 September 2022
Time:08:53
Type:Silhouette image of generic XNOS model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Sonex Xenos
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N255BF
MSN: X0046
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:2
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:near Longmont, CO -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Platte Valley Airpark, Hudson, CO (18V)
Destination airport:Platte Valley Airpark, Hudson, CO (18V)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Information verified through data from accident investigation authorities
Narrative:
On September 17, 2022, about 0853 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172S, N2117Y, and a Sonex Aircraft Xenos, N255BF, were destroyed when they were involved in a mid-air collision near Longmont, Colorado. The flight instructor and student pilot aboard the Cessna and the pilot aboard the Sonex sustained fatal injuries. The Cessna was operated as Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The Sonex was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

A review of air traffic control (ATC) flight track data revealed the Cessna departed Rocky Mountain Municipal Airport (BJC), Denver, Colorado, about 0843, and the Sonex departed Platte Valley Airpark (18V), Hudson, Colorado, about 0838. The airplanes climbed to about 7,000-7,500 ft mean sea level (msl) and were operating under visual flight rules (VFR).

The Cessna flew northbound and the Sonex flew westbound toward the Longmont area. After the Cessna completed a left 360° turn, it turned eastbound. The flight track data of the two airplanes merged and subsequently showed both airplanes rapidly descending. Fragmented sections of the outboard left wings of both airplanes were found in a field below the point where the two flight tracks merged .

Both airplanes impacted nose down in a rural area with a ground elevation of about 5,100 ft msl. The main wreckage site of the Cessna was in a field about 1,800 ft southeast of the wing fragments. The main wreckage site of the Sonex was adjacent to a tree about 1,100 ft southwest of the wing fragments.

At the time of the accident, both airplanes transmitted a transponder code of 1200 (VFR) and neither airplane was in radio contact, nor was required to be in contact with ATC. Both airplanes operated within the Mode-C veil of the Denver International Airport Class B airspace that required automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) “out” transmissions.

The Cessna was equipped with ADS-B “in/out” equipment and transmitted ADS-B data during the accident flight. The Sonex did not transmit ADS-B data during the accident flight; ATC records indicated the Sonex last transmitted ADS-B data on July 14, 2022.

Both airplanes were retained for further examination.

Sources:

https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/2-plane-collision-boulder/73-0e00a638-2381-492c-8566-ec487089fd1c?fbclid=IwAR0QyAMM_WJKjF09bYYf21orQyFaqAiptAAc9QZtB9L6g8g9lGBmJ94ZLZk
https://kdvr.com/news/local/1-plane-located-after-potential-mid-air-collision-in-boulder-county/

NTSB
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=255BF
https://globe.adsbexchange.com/?icao=a26a30&lat=40.101&lon=-105.127&zoom=16.0&showTrace=2022-09-17&leg=1
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N255BF/history/20220917/1439Z/18V/L%2040.10352%20-105.11894

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonex_Xenos

Location

Media:

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
17-Sep-2022 16:56 Captain Adam Added
17-Sep-2022 18:24 harro Updated [Aircraft type, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Other fatalities, Source]
17-Sep-2022 18:37 harro Updated [Registration, Cn, Operator, Phase, Source, Damage]
17-Sep-2022 18:42 harro Updated [Time, Location, Narrative]
17-Sep-2022 19:10 TWA Merge Pam Am Updated [Embed code]
17-Sep-2022 19:36 RobertMB Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]
18-Sep-2022 01:05 johnwg Updated [Time, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category]
08-Oct-2022 11:02 Captain Adam Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative, Category]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org