WACO UPF-7 BIPLANE CRASH ON CERRO SUMMIT IN MONTROSE, COLORADO; PILOT INJURED

JUNE 4, 2015

MONTROSE, COLORADO

Gunnison County Public Works employees helped rescue the Montrose attorney whose biplane crashed on Cerro Summit early Wednesday.




Steve M. Mathis was the lone occupant of the plane. He took off from his hangar at Montrose Regional Airport shortly after 7 a.m., en route to meet friends in Elbert and from there, to Kansas for a biplane show, according to a news release from Montrose County.




As he approached Cerro Summit, began experiencing engine trouble, according to Montrose County Sheriff Rick Dunlap.




"He didn't think he had enough power to make it over the summit, so he attempted to turn around and unfortunately, he crashed it," Dunlap told the Daily Press.


The plane impacted nose-first within sight of Gunnison County Public Works employees Scott Bever, Shawn McConnell, Dale Tillman, Kenneth Webb and Dave Coleman.




Dunlap said the men went to Mathis' aid and got him out of the plane, tending to him until Montrose Fire Protection District emergency medical responders could make the scene.
"I would like to honor their quick-thinking and willingness to help," Dunlap said in a news release.




The men could not be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon, as they remained on the job.
Mathis was taken to Montrose Memorial Hospital, where he was listed in good condition Wednesday morning.




Messages left at his law firm and at his family home were not immediately returned.

Earlier update:

Montrose County Sheriff’s office responded to a single-engine biplane crash this morning on Cerro Summit near mile marker 107. The plane crashed on the east side of a field. The pilot was transported to Montrose Memorial Hospital in stable condition.

The crash occurred on city property, and there were witnesses, Montrose Police Cmdr. Gene Lillard said.

The pilot has not been officially identified. The plane is registered to UPF-7 LLC., which shows a Montrose address that also belongs to local attorney Steve Mathis.

A Steve Mathis is listed in good condition at Montrose Memorial Hospital.

Colorado State Patrol and the Montrose Fire Protection District assisted with the response effort. At this time, the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating the incident.

Source: http://www.montrosepress.com

Date:	03-JUN-2015
Time:	Morning
Type:	Waco UPF-7
Owner/operator:	UPF-7 LLC
Registration:	N29943
C/n / msn:	5441
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Airplane damage:	Substantial
Location:	Cerro Summit, east of Montrose Regional Airport (KMTJ), Montrose, CO -   United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Unknown
Departure airport:
Destination airport:

Narrative:
The aircraft impacted terrain on Cerro Summit east of Montrose Regional Airport (KMTJ), Montrose, Colorado. The biplane sustained substantial damage and the sole pilot onboard received undisclosed injuries.

Sources:

http://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?id=176619 http://www.gjsentinel.com/breaking/articles/biplane-pilot-rescued-on-cerro-summit http://www.nbc11news.com/home/headlines/Small-plane-crashes-in-Montrose-County-pilot-taken-to-hospital-305996961.html?device=tablet&c=y http://www.montrosepress.com/breaking_news/plane-crash-on-cerro-summit/article_e928bd3c-0a03-11e5-bbdb-db9ec61cd958.html http://denver.cbslocal.com/2015/06/03/pilot-injured-in-small-plane-crash-on-cerro-summit/ http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N29943.html
http://www.aviation-history.com/waco/upf-7.html