Steamboat Springs plane crash leaves 4 dead including dad & son in what increasingly seems to be the result of pilot error amid difficult mountainous terrain and mis-judgement. Victims identified as Aaron Stokes of Franklin,TN, his son, Jackson Strokes, Colin Stokes and Austin Huskey. Epic Aircraft E1000 was registered to ALC Aviation.
Four Tennessee residents, including a father and his son, died when their turboprop plane crashed into the side of Emerald mountain near Steamboat Springs upon approaching Steamboat Airport for landing in Colorado.
The Routt County Coroner’s Office identified the fatalities as 46-year-old Aaron Stokes of Franklin, TN; his 21-year-old son Jackson Stokes; the younger Stokes’ cousin and Aaron’s nephew, 21-year-old Colin Stokes; and 37-year-old Austin Huskey.
Single engine Epic E1000 turboprop
The single-engine Epic E1000 turboprop, registered N98FK and owned by ALC Aviation LLC in Franklin, went down at 12:20 a.m. local time on the southern slope of the 8,252-foot peak while approaching Bob Adams Steamboat Airport. The flight originated in Nashville with a stop in Kansas City according to Steamboat Radio.
According to tracking data, the Epic Aircraft E1000 had departed Kansas City Downtown Airport around 10 p.m. (MDT) and was approaching Bob Adams Airport in Steamboat Springs when it crashed into Emerald Mountain southeast of the airport, killing everyone onboard.
The aircraft, a six-seat Epic turboprop, went down in a remote area. The victims’ bodies have been recovered from the scene, according to the Routt County Sheriff’s Office.
Pilot error negotiating mountainous terrain at night cited as likely cause of plane crash
9News hosting aviation expert, Greg Feith described flying over mountainous terrain on a turboprop as challenging, particularly at night along with the fact that Steamboat Springs airport has a short runway.
Responded one commentator on social media, ‘The pilot either tried to do a visual approach to runway 32 or he didn’t comply with the altitude restrictions on the instrument approach to runway 32. Either way you should only do instrument approaches to mountainous airport at night for terrain clearance.’
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of crash and will examine the plane wreckage. The NTSB will examine pilot records, flight data, maintenance logs, weather and air traffic communications but has not speculated on a cause.
Aaron Stokes and Austin Huskey remembered
Aaron Stokes founded Shop Fix Academy, a training organization for auto repair shop owners, and hosted a radio show, ‘Fixin’ Cars with Aaron Stokes.’ Stokes was described as a mentor and entrepreneur who worked closely with independent shop owners.
Austin Huskey was the CEO and third-generation owner of Huskey Truss & Building Supply, a family-owned company that has served the Middle Tennessee area for decades.
Colorado’s independent auto repair community is mourning the loss of Aaron Stokes.
‘The Colorado automotive community feels this loss profoundly. While his time with us was far too short, his legacy is enduring. The standards he set, the accountability he modeled, and the encouragement he offered will continue to shape our businesses and our lives,’ CEO of Straightaway Tire and Auto Brian Bates said in a statement.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
