Plane Crash List

Piper PA-28-160 N5673W

19 July 1989 · Crested Butte, Colorado, United States · Serious injuries

Summary

On 19 July 1989 at about 14:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-160 registered N5673W was involved in an accident near Crested Butte, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 14:00
Classification
Accident
Location
Crested Butte, Colorado, United States
Coordinates
38.8709, -106.9795
Aircraft
Piper PA-28-160
Registration
N5673W
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Crested Butte → Gunnison
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
DEN89LA174

People

1 person was seriously injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
2 0 1 1 0

Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE WHILE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING FLT AT 11,300 FT MSL NEAR A 12,516 FT MOUNTAIN, HE SAW A HERD OF ELK. HE MADE A LEFT TURN TO RETURN TO THE MOUNTAIN. HE SAID THE PLANE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT THAT PRODUCED A 500 FPM RATE OF DESCENT. THE PLT APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT COULD NOT STOP THE DESCENT. HE SAW A CLEAR AREA NEAR THE 10,000 FT LEVEL & ELECTED TO LAND. DURING THE LANDING, BOTH WINGS, THE FUSELAGE AND THE LANDING GEAR WERE DAMAGED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Piper PA-28 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
9 Jul 1989 Piper PA-28-161
N2752M
Beverly, Massachusetts, United States
no coordinates
Beverly Flight Center, Inc. Minor injuries -
9 Oct 1989 Piper PA-28
N6340R
Delavan, Minnesota, United States - Fatal 2
24 Oct 1989 Piper PA-28-161
N36163
Elkader, Iowa, United States Pritts Aviation Fatal 2
21 Jan 1989 Piper PA-28-180
N16375
Chicago, Illinois, United States Michael J. Belica Fatal 2
14 Jul 1989 Piper PA-28-160
N5913W
Hammond, New York, United States - Minor injuries -
9 Jun 1989 Piper PA-28-180
N33320
Ashland, Virginia, United States
no coordinates
A & S Flying Services Fatal 1

All 9,402 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
4 Jan 1989 Cessna 172
N96319
Longmont, Colorado, United States Denver Air Center No injuries -
6 Jan 1989 Piper PA-31T
N82290
Craig, Colorado, United States Cummins Power Inc No injuries -
18 Jan 1989 Beechcraft V35B
N1721W
Broomfield, Colorado, United States - Minor injuries -
28 Jan 1989 Cessna P210N
N4737P
Durango, Colorado, United States - No injuries -
8 Feb 1989 Piper PA-18-150
N4355Z
Boulder, Colorado, United States Boulder Flying Service No injuries -
9 Feb 1989 Cessna 152
N69117
Gill, Colorado, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States