Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pitkin, Colorado 81241
Wednesday, July 27, 1983 14:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS ON A X-COUNTRY FLT FROM CAMARILLO, CA TO OSHKOSH, WI. THE PLT LANDED AT ABOUT NOON AT MONTROSE, CO, WHERE THE ACFT WAS REFUELED & THE OCCUPANTS WENT TO A RESTAURANT TO EAT. AFTER DEPARTING MONTROSE, THE ACFT WAS SEEN FLYING LOW OVER RISING, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, HEADING TOWARD WILLIAMS PASS. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED ON THE SOUTH SLOPE OF A VALLEY NEAR WILLIAMS PASS, APRX 92 MI ENE OF MONTROSE. THE WITNESSES DID NOT SEE OR HEAR THE ACFT CRASH. AT THE TIME, THEY THOUGHT THE PLT MAY HAVE TURNED OR SOMEHOW CONTINUED OVER THE PASS. LATER, THE ACFT WAS FOUND AFTER A WITNESS LEARNED THERE WAS A MISSING PLANE & NOTIFIED AUTHORITIES. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 14,400 FT. THE PLT'S LAST BIENNIAL FLT REVIEW WAS ON 7/24/81.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/27/1983
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City PITKIN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81241
Event Date Year 1983
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1235 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 237
Weather Observation Facility ID GUC
Elevation of weather observation facility 7568
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
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) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 14400
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2505
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23456
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 N9378W
NTSB Number DEN83FA180
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-235C
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-235C
Aircraft Serial Number 28-11070
Certified Max Gross Weight 2900
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 21 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 7
Airframe Hours 2517
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAN L. & SHARON OGDEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2402 LOS FELIZ DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City THOUSAND OAKS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91360
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MTJ
Departure City MONTROSE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1330
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City OSHKOSH
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 --