Overview
- The Beechcraft King Air B200 (N479BR) departed Aspen and landed at Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport around 2:19 p.m. on Dec. 20 with no injuries reported.
- After a rapid, uncommanded loss of pressurization, the pilots donned oxygen masks and lost communication, triggering Emergency Autoland as designed.
- Automated radio calls reported “pilot incapacitation,” though Buffalo River Aviation later said neither pilot was incapacitated.
- The system selected RMMA, communicated with controllers, flew the approach, stopped on Runway 30, and shut down the engines in the first confirmed start‑to‑finish emergency activation.
- The FAA is investigating, the NTSB is gathering information to determine if a separate probe is warranted, and the aircraft returned to service the next day.