[1]: v [2][3] On January 19, 1988, Flight 2286 crashed onto terrain near Bayfield, Colorado, while on approach to Durango-La Plata County Airport.

[1]: 1–2 The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation determined the most probable cause of the accident was the crew's failure to follow the proper descent profile, and that recent cocaine use by the captain was a contributing factor.

On the date of the accident, Trans-Colorado Airlines Flight 2286 was operated using a Fairchild Metro III twin-turboprop aircraft (registered as N68TC).

Air traffic control advised Flight 2286 of reduced visibility into Durango, with a ceiling of only 800 feet and light snow and fog in the area.

[1] Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) learned that Harvey had a history of alcohol abuse.

[4] However, he had completed a physical exam the day before the crash and was found at that time to be free of alcohol or illegal drugs.

[1]: 14 [5] The NTSB concluded that Silver had likely used cocaine twelve to eighteen hours before the accident, and that his piloting skills were likely degraded as a result of his drug use.

[1]: 28–29 On February 4, 1989, the NTSB issued its final report on Flight 2286, in which it stated its finding of the probable cause of the crash: The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the first officer's flying and the captain's ineffective monitoring of an unstabilized approach which resulted in a descent below the published descent profile.

[1]: 26 The accident and subsequent investigation are the subject of a season 16 episode[6] of the documentary television series Mayday, titled "Dangerous Approach", first broadcast in July 2016.