DENVER  |  Federal investigators have determined that pilot disorientation in difficult weather conditions likely was the cause of a fatal small plane crash last year near Denver.

The Colorado Sun reports that the National Transportation Safety Board says 67-year-old Robert Marquis probably lost control of the Cirrus SR22 he was flying shortly after taking off from Centennial Airport on May 11, 2018.

Marquis was the only person aboard the plane and died in the crash.

The plane Marquis was flying had just completed an annual inspection and he was traveling to meet his family for an event in another state. The fatal flight lasted only about five minutes.

Marquis was a Grand Junction veterinarian and volunteer member of the Mesa County Search and Rescue Team.

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Information from: The Colorado Sun, http://coloradosun.com

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