oper ating ▁as ▁Cont inental ▁Express ▁Fl ight ▁ 2 2 8 6 ) ▁was ▁a ▁scheduled ▁domestic ▁passenger ▁flight ▁from ▁Den ver , ▁Colorado , ▁to ▁Dur ango , ▁Colorado , ▁operated ▁for ▁Cont inental ▁Express ▁by ▁Trans - Color ado ▁Airlines . ▁On ▁ 1 9 ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 8 , ▁Fl ight ▁ 2 2 8 6 ▁crash ed ▁onto ▁terrain ▁near ▁Bay field , ▁Colorado , ▁while ▁on ▁approach ▁to ▁Dur ango - La ▁Pl ata ▁County ▁Airport . ▁ ▁Out ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 7 ▁people ▁on ▁board , ▁ 9 ▁were ▁killed , ▁including ▁both ▁crew ▁members . ▁ ▁The ▁National ▁Transport ation ▁Saf ety ▁Board ▁( NT SB ) ▁investigation ▁determined ▁the ▁most ▁probable ▁cause ▁of ▁the ▁accident ▁was ▁the ▁crew ' s ▁failure ▁to ▁follow ▁the ▁proper ▁descent ▁profile . ▁ ▁A ircraft ▁On ▁the ▁date ▁of ▁the ▁accident , ▁Fl ight ▁ 2 2 8 6 ▁was ▁operated ▁using ▁a ▁Fair child ▁Metro ▁III ▁tw in - t urb op rop ▁aircraft ▁( reg istration ▁number ▁N 6 8 TC ). ▁ ▁Initial ly ▁manufact ured ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁this ▁particular ▁aircraft ▁was ▁acquired ▁by ▁Trans - Color ado ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 . ▁The ▁Metro ▁III ▁had ▁logged ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁approximately ▁ 1 2 , 0 0 0 ▁flight ▁hours ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁accident . ▁ ▁The ▁aircraft ▁was ▁not ▁equ ipped ▁with ▁a ▁co ck pit ▁voice ▁rec order ▁or ▁flight