Meadow Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Falcon, Colorado 80901
Tuesady, September 24, 1996 20:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After a night local area personal flight, the pilot was attempting to land at the airport of departure and could not turn on the runway lights by use of the UNICOM. He attempted to land without this aid and the landing was made in a ditch between the runway and taxiway. During landing roll the aircraft struck a culvert. The frequency for the UNICOM had been changed several weeks earlier and this change had been published in NOTAMS, and local air traffic control and flight service had the change published in controller instructions. No evidence was found that the pilot attempted to contact these facilities. Lighting and weather at the time was clear skies and dark night lighting.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure by the pilot to select suitable terrain for landing. Factors were inadequate preflight planning and preparation for the flight by the pilot by failing to check NOTAMS and failing to use communication aids available to him.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/24/1996
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2030
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City FALCON
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80901
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MEADOW LAKE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 00V
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6874
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2127 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 256
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6184
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1017
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 24 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2258
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N41369
NTSB Number FTW96LA401
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA28-151
Aircraft Series Identifier PA28-151
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7515370
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 14 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 59
Airframe Hours 3530
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLASSIC AIR, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 1823
Aircraft Owner City COLORADO SPGS
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80901
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 00V
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 6000
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --