UPDATE: Pilot seen nosediving plane in video while flying over the Continental Divide in Colorado is being investigated by FAA (with video)
Connor Smith/Courtesy photo
Update July 11: On July 11, Greg Boom, owner of Rocky Mountain Flight School, confirmed that the pilot who was flying the plane will no longer be allowed to fly with the school. Boom said this was the pilot’s ninth flight in the Cessna 152. The pilot’s identity has not been released pending an investigation with the Federal Aviation Administration.
On Thursday, July 4, visitors hiking to Devil’s Thumb saw a plane that appeared to narrowly miss crashing into the side of the Continental Divide. Tyler Dunn was hiking with his dad, Jason Dunn, when they both witnessed the nail-biting event. Tyler was able to capture the plane’s close call on video.
According to public records, the plane took off from Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport in Broomfield at 9:49 a.m. and landed at the Granby/Grand County Airport at 11:04 a.m.
The plane has been identified as a Cessna 152 and belongs to the Rocky Mountain Flight School in Broomfield. The plane was rented and Greg Boom, who is the owner of the school, told Sky-Hi News that his staff is currently trying to reach out to the pilot to learn more about the incident.
Boom said he wasn’t aware of the incident and that he was “surprised” when he heard about it.
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The video shows the plane diving incredibly close to the ground in a valley between sloping mountains.
Tyler said that for a second the plane appeared to be headed towards them before the pilot made the effort to turn around in the valley, which was captured on video.
“We could easily see that he wasn’t high enough to clear the top, and that he was beginning to stall,” Tyler wrote. “Right before he hit the shelf, he stalled and nose dived. We all thought he was going to hit the ground.”
Connor Smith was another hiker who captured photos of the close encounter.
Tyler and Jason are hoping that by sharing the video and photos that the pilot will stumble upon them and see the impressive maneuver that had everyone on the edge of their seat.
“We are hoping the owner sees it, as he might want the video!” Tyler wrote.
If you were the pilot operating the plane seen in this video and would like to tell us your story please contact Sky-Hi News by emailing news@skyhinews.com or call 970-557-6031.
This story is from SkyHiNews.com.
