NTSB: Strong winds when plane crashed in Aspen

A preliminary report on a fatal private-jet crash at Aspen-Pitkin County Airport confirms there were gusty winds at the time.

The National Transportation Safety Board report issued Thursday said there were winds of 19 knots with gusts up to 25 knots when the Canadair CL-600 was landing on Jan. 5.

Previous news reports cited radio traffic about the wind conditions.

The plane was making its second landing when investigators say it briefly touched down on the runway before bouncing up and then crashing.

“The crew executed a missed approach, and then requested to be vectored for a second attempt,” the report says. “On the second landing attempt (the plane) briefly touched down on the runway, then bounced into the air and descended rapidly impacting with the ground at midfield.”

Witnesses said the plane caught fire, rolled along the east-west runway and then came to rest upside down. Emilio Brabata was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office.

Co-pilot Sergio Carranza Brabata, 54, was killed. Another crew member and a pilot who was a passenger was injured. All were from Mexico.

The airport was immediately closed to private and commercial flights after the accident and reopened Jan. 7.