Buena Vista Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buena Vista, Colorado 81211
Saturday, May 31, 1986 17:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHEN THE PLT TOOK OFF, THE WIND WAS LIGHT & VARIABLE. HOWEVER, WHEN HE RETURNED TO THE ARPT ABOUT 20 TO 30 MIN LATER, DARK THREATENING CLOUDS HAD MOVED INTO THE AREA. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RWY 14. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT BOUNCED & WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY, THEN THE PLT INITIATED A GO-AROUND. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE ACFT BANKED & CLIMBED STEEPLY TO THE RIGHT IN A DOWNWIND DIRECTION, THEN IT SUDDENLY ENTERED A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE & CRASHED IN A NEAR VERTICAL DESCENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1986
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BUENA VISTA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81211
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BUENA VISTA MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7V1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 7980
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1730 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID 7V1
Elevation of weather observation facility 7990
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 27
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 33
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 10047
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) 1277
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 31 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1912
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31673
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5394Z
NTSB Number DEN86FA147
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-20-160
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-20-160
Aircraft Serial Number 22-9164
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
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 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 3979
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FOUR WHEEL DEALS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 515 U.S. HWY 24 SOUTH BOX 1669
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 7V1
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1715
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 Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 9125
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --