Bijou Springs Ranch Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Peyton, Colorado 80831
Saturday, August 31, 1985 15:25 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE TWO EXPERIENCED PILOTS TOOK OFF FROM HIGH ALT AIRSTRIP UNDER HIGH DENSITY ALT CONDITIONS. WITNESSES SAID ACFT ENTERED A 60-DEGREE LEFT BANKING TURN. WHEN ACFT HAD COMPLETED 120-DEGREES OF TURN, THE NOSE DROPPED. WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT SIDE-SLIPPED TO THE LEFT AND LOST CONSIDERABLE ALTITUDE. THE ACFT SEEMED TO RECOVER BUT THEN SIDE-SLIPPED TO THE RIGHT. THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND, SLID TO THE RIGHT, AND BURST INTO FLAMES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/31/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1525
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City PEYTON
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80831
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport BIJOU SPRINGS RANCH
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 6540
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 1450 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 202
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6172
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 100
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 9840
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2118
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 31 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29514
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14331
NTSB Number DEN85FA229
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-7409089
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
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 Jun 25 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 376
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARRY B. COMBS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 5 COMBS-GATES, STAPLETON
Operator City DENVER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80207
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1525
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 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 3640
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --