"25 Years of Remembrance" Reclamation reflects on the tragic loss of eight Upper Colorado Region Employees in 1997

Twenty-five years ago, tragedy struck Reclamation when a chartered plane carrying eight Upper Colorado Basin Region employees crashed on the rugged Uncompahgre Plateau about 18 miles southwest of Montrose, Colorado. All eight employees and the pilot of their chartered Cessna 208 were killed on that fatal day. U.S. flags at all Department of the Interior facilities across the country flew at half-staff for two days to honor the employees who lost their lives on October 8, 1997.

On board from Montrose, Colorado, were Allen E. "Al" Inman Jr., age 47, Curecanti Field Division Manager and Jon E. Nees, age 42, Safety and Occupational Health Manager. The passengers from Page, Arizona, included William H. "Bill" Duncan, age 46, Glen Canyon Field Division Manager; Jeffrey E. "Jeff" Waite, age 41, Powerplant Operations Manager; Dephina D. "Dee" Holliman, age 37, Computer Assistant; Walter A. "Walt" Kaltmaier, age 62, Computer Specialist; Catrina M. Wall, age 33, Computer Specialist; and James L. "Jim" Bloomfield, age 43, Electrical Engineer. The pilot Robert Armstrong, a 63-year-old Phoenix, Arizona, resident, had been flying with Scenic Airlines for 10 years.

The single-engine plane took off from the Montrose Regional Airport on October 8, 1997, on what was to be a 90-minute flight to Page, Arizona, where employees were to attend a general Power Office meeting. The plane quickly vanished from radar. After two days of searching by the Civil Air Patrol, National Guard, and sheriff's ground crews, the plane was located on October 10, 1997, by a ground crew. An investigation conducted by the National Transportation Safety Board concluded that the cause of the crash was weather conditions.

Former Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt preluded his remarks at a Departmental memorial service by reading a letter from former President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton of the United States:

"Hillary and I extend our heart-felt sympathy to the friends, families, and co-workers of the eight Bureau of Reclamation employees who lost their lives in the tragic plane crash.

Jim Bloomfield, Bill Duncan, Dephina Holliman, Al Inman, Walt Kaltmaier, Jon Nees, Jeff Waite, and Catrina Wall represented public service at its finest. Through their contributions to the Colorado River Storage Project and other assignments during their careers with the Bureau of Reclamation, they dedicated their time, talents, and energy to make life better for their fellow Americans. They have left a rich legacy of achievement and service to our country that will continue to inspire all who knew and worked with them.

Our hearts go out to each of you, as well as the people of Montrose, Colorado, and Page, Arizona, as you now strive to cope with this devastating loss. We are keeping all of you in our thoughts and praying for your strength and comfort."

In words from Regional Director Wayne Pullan, "It is hard to believe that 25 years have already passed since the tragedy of October 8, 1997. With each passing year, the number of us in the region who knew and worked with those who died diminishes. To those who suffered personal loss on that day, all of your region colleagues express our collective sympathy. And for all today's regional employees who bear the legacy of those we lost, how do we best honor them? One way would be to make certain that we visit the monument and the fountain erected in their honor whenever we visit the Curecanti Field Office and Glen Canyon Dam. Another way to honor them is to perform the work that we get to do every day with excellence and enthusiasm — building upon the foundation they established for us. Finally, let's remember to embrace the friendships and comradery of our workforce today, acknowledging the great gift it is to be able to do such work together."