By Julia Caulfield
Courtesy of the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office
A newlywed couple from Port Orange, Florida died on Monday afternoon after their plane crashed in Ingram Basin, near Telluride.
Costas John Sivyllis and Lindsey Vogelaar were visiting Telluride, and married at Alta Lakes on October 1st. Sivyllis was 30 years old. Vogelaar was 33.
The couple was flying home in their privately owned Beechcraft Bonanza – a small, single engine aircraft, when the accident occurred. Sivyllis was a United Airlines pilot and flight instructor. Vogelaar also worked in the airline industry.
According to Susan Lilly, Public Information Officer for the San Miguel County Sheriff’s Office, the couple took off at 12:45 p.m. on Monday from the Telluride Regional Airport.
“The crash occurred as soon as 10-15 minutes after takeoff, unless they did any kind of sightseeing in the area before the plane went down,” Lilly says.
The Sheriff’s Office received report of the crash just before 2:30, after an individual using a drone in the area spotted the downed plane.
Lilly says “And that lead to our, what started as a search and rescue effort that changed to a body recovery mission.”
The Sheriff’s Office contact the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB is leading the investigation into the crash.
Alex Lamishco, is a senior air safety investigator with the National Transportation Safety Board, and lead investigator on the incident. Lamishco traveled from Denver on Tuesday, and spent Wednesday at the crash site.
“The initial goal on on scene investigations is to inspect the airframe for any anomalies, inspect the flight controls for any anomalies, do a cursory inspection of the engine for any pre-impact anomalies,” Lamishco says.
Lamishco adds he will also look at conditions outside the plane itself for information.
He says “for instance, since this aircraft impacted in a mountainous area, I will be looking at the flight path in relation to weather conditions, environmental conditions, that kind of thing.”
Lilly notes flying in the mountains, at altitude, can be challenging. She says the crash occurred near 11,850 feet.
“High altitude flying takes a certain skill set, whether you’re flying a helicopter, a single engine plane, or something else,” Lilly says.
But Lamishco says when it comes to flight path, it’s not abnormal for small private planes to take off from the Telluride Airport, and fly over the mountains.
“From preliminary ADSB data it appears the take off and departure were normal, taking off to the West and making a turn to the East. That flight track seemed normal until it terminated in and around the accident site,” Lamishco says.
While Lamishco says an on-site investigation only takes a day or so, he notes a full investigation can take anywhere from 12-18 months. He adds if there is an area of special interest, the plane will be transported to Greeley, Colorado for further examination.
Sivyllis and Vogelaar eloped to Telluride for a small wedding and adventure filled honeymoon. They were documenting the celebration online for their friends and family. Lilly expresses condolences to the families on behalf of the entire mission.
“Our collective thoughts are with the family and friends of the family who are mourning this tragic loss. The Sheriff is personally extending his condolences, and also on behalf of all the members who participated in this mission,” Lilly says.
Sivyllis is survived by his parents Dimitris and Kristen. Vogelaar is survived by her parents Gary and Sandra, and her siblings, Courtney, Addy, Shayley, Ryan and Matthew.