Tragic Collision of Homebuilt Plane Near Colorado Airport

Two pilots tragically lost their lives in a fiery crash just outside a Colorado airport. They were piloting a recently acquired home-built aircraft, officials reported.

A preliminary investigation into the incident on June 23 revealed that 53-year-old Alejandro Antunez and 61-year-old Lawrence Skinner were flying a commercially constructed plane when the accident occurred, just a mile away from Montrose Regional Airport.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, Antunez had recently bought a “Murphy Moose” floatplane.

The manufacturer’s website describes the Moose as “designed for safety and maintenance,” noting that it’s straightforward to assemble, inspect, and service. It’s tailored for builders, requiring no building jigs, which is a unique feature.

However, officials noted there was no current registration for the plane with the Federal Aviation Administration. While the exact details of Antunez’s purchase remain unclear, authorities established that the aircraft was initially assembled in 2008.

Witnesses reported that the plane struggled to gain altitude or speed after taking off on June 23. Ads for a plane matching its tail number were noted to have been listed for sale in Colorado as recently as January 2024.

Antunez and Skinner, residents of Fort Myers, Florida, were making a pit stop in Montrose to refuel during their journey from Colorado back to Florida.

At about 10 a.m. during takeoff, the kit plane failed to climb or maintain speed before veering out of control.

This tragic collision led to an explosion, resulting in the plane being engulfed in flames and leaving behind only wreckage.

The NTSB has retained ownership of the wreckage, and investigators are working to determine the cause of the crash, including whether the pilots succumbed to the impact.

Notably, Antunez was an experienced pilot with good ratings for flying single-engine land and sea planes, and he also held commercial pilot privileges for single-engine sea aircraft.

Skinner, serving as the co-pilot, was working as a commercial pilot as well as a certified mechanic at the time of the incident, and he held instructor certifications for multiple types of aircraft.