Tri County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erie, Colorado 80516
Monday, February 28, 1983 15:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED AN UNEXPECTED DOWNDRAFT OR SHEAR EFFECT & LANDED APPROXIMATELY 102 FT SHORT OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN COLLIDED WITH A BAR DITCH LOCATED ABOUT 63 FT FROM THE THRESHOLD FOLDING BACK THE MAIN GEAR. THE ACFT THEN SLID DOWN THE CENTERLINE OF THE RWY, VEERED OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE & STOPPED APPROXIMATELY 75-100 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY. THE DITCH WAS ABOUT 3 FT WIDE & 2 FT DEEP, & IS ORIENTED PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY. THERE WAS ANOTHER MUCH LARGER DITCH LOCATED AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE RWY. NEITHER DITCH WAS MENTIONED IN ANY ARPT PUBLICATION OR NOTAM IDENTIFYING IT AS A POTENTIAL HAZARD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/28/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1545
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ERIE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80516
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRI COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 48V
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 5151
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 10
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5654
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5000
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 30
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 4200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 58
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 19716
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 N8295L
NTSB Number DEN83LA069
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-34-200
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-34-200
Aircraft Serial Number 34-8170033
Certified Max Gross Weight 4000
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 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 30 1982 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours 1250
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AZTEC INDUSTRIES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 15474
Aircraft Owner City TULSA
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74112
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DEN
Departure City DENVER
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 33
Runway Length 5280
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --