CENTENNIAL, CO – A routine flight instruction session turned deadly when a single-engine aircraft’s engine suddenly cut out, sending the plane crashing into an industrial complex near one of Colorado’s busiest airports and killing both experienced aviators aboard.
Perry “Matt” Feeney, 52, of Arvada and Lee “Rob” Hill, 64, of Greenwood Village died September 5th when their Beech P35 crashed during what was supposed to be an evaluation flight. One of the men had been considering purchasing a similar aircraft, making the training session a test run for a potential future investment.
The morning started like countless others at Centennial Airport, with pilots preparing for training exercises in clear conditions. But something went catastrophically wrong shortly after takeoff. A firefighter positioned roughly a mile and a half from the crash site heard the distinctive sound of an aircraft engine overhead – then nothing. The engine had completely stopped.
A local resident out for her morning walk became an unwitting witness to the tragedy. She noticed the plane flying lower than usual and following an unfamiliar flight path through the neighborhood. When the engine fell silent, she looked up to see the aircraft banking hard to the left toward the airport while descending. Initially, she thought it might’ve been a training maneuver since everything appeared controlled.
Security cameras from nearby businesses captured the plane’s final seconds, showing it banking sharply right just before impact. The aircraft slammed into a paved driveway at an industrial facility with such force that portions of the right wing scattered south of the main wreckage. The left wing was shattered on impact.
The violent crash sparked an immediate fire that threatened nearby structures and a large generator. First responders initially thought they were dealing with an explosion based on emergency calls. Fire crews managed to contain the blaze quickly, but the damage was already done.
Federal investigators discovered both the landing gear and flaps were retracted when the plane went down, suggesting the pilots may not have had time to prepare for an emergency landing. The aircraft appeared to have struck multiple concrete barriers during its uncontrolled descent. Notably, no distress calls were recorded from either pilot before the crash.
The National Transportation Safety Board has taken possession of the wreckage for detailed examination as investigators work to determine exactly why the engine failed. While the preliminary report confirms the engine stoppage, the underlying cause remains a mystery that could take months to solve.
Centennial Airport handles thousands of general aviation flights annually, serving as a major hub for pilot training, business aviation, and private aircraft operations in the Denver metro area. The facility sees heavy traffic from flight schools and training operations, making safety a constant priority.
This crash adds to the sobering statistics of general aviation accidents, where engine failures remain one of the leading causes of fatal incidents. For the aviation community at Centennial, it’s a stark reminder that even routine training flights carry inherent risks.
