Meeker Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Meeker, Colorado 81641
Saturday, June 3, 1989 12:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PRIVATE PLT AND PAYING PAX DEPARTED ARPT DURING AIR SHOW FOR LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLT. MONIES RAISED FROM AIRPLANE RIDES AND AIR SHOW WERE TO BENEFIT LOCAL COMMUNITY HOSPITAL. SHORTLY AFTER ACFT DEPARTED RWY 21, WITNESSES SAID STRONG GUSTY WINDS DEVELOPED AS THUNDERSTORM APPROACHED. VIRGA WAS SEEN FALLING FROM ONE CELL, LOCATED ABOUT 3 MILES SOUTH OF ARPT. THE ACFT WAS NEXT SEEN ON WHAT WAS DESCRIBED AS A RIGHT X-WIND LEG FOR RWY 3 AT LOW SPEED. THE ACFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO SPIN AND IMPACT THE GROUND. THE ACFT EXPLODED AND BURNED. PLT COULD NOT RECALL ANY DETAILS OF ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADVERTENT STALL-SPIN AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO EFFECT A SAFE RECOVERY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS INCLUDE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND WIND SHEAR.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/3/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1240
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MEEKER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81641
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MEEKER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2V3
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 155
Airport Elevation 6390
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 7000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 35
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 8174
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 645
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 3 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1330
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40155
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N555JW
NTSB Number DEN89FA131
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BOEING
Aircraft Model PT-17
Aircraft Series Identifier PT-17
Aircraft Serial Number 75-2955
Certified Max Gross Weight 2810
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 6 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 36
Airframe Hours 3651
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTERS, JAMES R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11537 HOT SPRINGS DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City PARKER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80134
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 2V3
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1230
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --