TWO BUTTES, CO, USA
N6320X
CESSNA 340A
THE PLT AND HIS WIFE WERE EN ROUTE FROM PALM SPRINGS, CA, TO OLATHE, KS, AND HAD STOPPED FOR FUEL AT FARMINGTON, NM. AFTER DEPARTURE, THE ACFT WAS EVENTUALLY CLEARED TO FL 210. AT 1934 THE PLT GAVE DENVER ARTCC THE FOLLOWING PIREP: 'THERE'S BEEN SOME SNOW BUT I'VE BEEN MOSTLY IN AND OUT OF THE TOPS. LOOKS LIKE I GOT CLEAR SKIES ABOVE ME MOST OF THE TIME...AND IT IS MODERATELY ROUGH FROM TIME TO TIME.' AT 2045 KANSAS CITY ARTCC ADVISED THE PLT HE WAS AT FL 213. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED HE HAD DRIFTED OFF ALT AND WAS CORRECTING AND WAS HEADING 060 DEG. AT 2047 THE CONTROLLER ADVISED THE PLT HE WAS AT FL 203. THE PLT REPLIED, 'WE'VE HAD A GYRO FAILURE.' AT 2049 RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. THE ACFT IMPACTED AN OPEN FIELD IN A NEAR VERTICAL ATTITUDE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF AIRFRAME, ENG, PROP, OR FLT CONTROL FAILURE. ONLY ONE VACUUM PUMP WAS RECOVERED. THE INSTRUMENT PANEL AND AUTOPLT SYSTEM WERE DESTROYED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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