Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Craig, Colorado 81625
Tuesady, April 21, 1987 16:35 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT AND HIS WIFE WERE ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLT TO VISIT RELATIVES IN NORTH CAROLINA. SEVERAL WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DEPART CRAIG-MOFFET AIRPORT WITH THE ENGINE(S) RUNNING ROUGH AND USING ALMOST THE ENTIRE RUNWAY TO GET AIRBORNE. ONCE AIRBORNE THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO GAIN ATTITUDE, STRUCK SOME TREES, AND CRASHED INTO AN IRRIGATION DITCH. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED A WORN ENGINE WITH DEFICIENT SPARK PLUGS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/21/1987
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1635
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CRAIG
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81625
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1646 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID CAG
Elevation of weather observation facility 6198
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 308
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7111
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 866
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 21 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34163
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3231P
NTSB Number DEN87FA110
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 PA-23
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23
Aircraft Serial Number 1174
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 8 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 3926
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RICHAD W. GAWER
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1911
Aircraft Owner City CRECENT CITY
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95531
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1630
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RDU
Destination City RALEIGH DURHAM
Destination State NC
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --