Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hayden, Colorado 81639
Saturday, July 11, 1987 9:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT AND TWO PAX WERE PARTICIPATING IN THE DENVER, CO TO JACKPOT, NV AIR CLASSIC. THE ACFT DEPARTED, DESTINED FOR ROCK SPRINGS, WY. THE PLT WAS BELIEVED BY A FRIEND TO HAVE BEEN NAVIGATING WITH THE USE OF A RECENTLY INSTALLED RNAV SYSTEM. THE PLT RADIOED A FRIEND FLYING IN THE CLASSIC THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED 'HEAVY RAIN' IN THE HAYDEN AREA. WITNESSES STATED THE HIGH TERRAIN WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT MECH MALFUNCTION OF ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/11/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City HAYDEN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81639
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 950 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 95
Weather Observation Facility ID SBS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6879
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 22
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1404
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34836
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7858P
NTSB Number DEN87FA178
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-24-250
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-24-250
Aircraft Serial Number 243081
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 16 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 74
Airframe Hours 7044
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES W THETFORD
Aircraft Owner Street Address 8514 DOUBLE HEADER RANCH ROAD
Aircraft Owner City MORRISON
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80465
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES W. THETFORD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 8514 DOUBLE HEADER RANCH RD.
Operator City MORRISON
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80465
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 1W1
Departure City WATKINS
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 841
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RKS
Destination City ROCK SPRINGS
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --