Piper PA-32-300 accident near Pagosa Springs, CO
On March 27, 1999, a Piper PA-32-300 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Pagosa Springs, CO. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 27, 1999
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, CO
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.241°N, 107.030°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001205X00302
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 27, 1999, approximately 0852 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N56306, was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering near Pagosa Springs, Colorado. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The aircraft was being operated by the Foxtrot Flying Club, Inc., of Urbandale, Iowa, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Durango-La Plata County Airport, Durango, Colorado, at approximately 0819, and was en route to Perry, Iowa. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the accident area. According to the Foxtrot Flying Club, the pilot, Dr. Richard A. Miller, rented the aircraft for the purpose of flying himself, his wife and son to Durango for a fishing vacation they had planned. According to Durango airport personnel, the pilot of N56306 arrived with his family on the evening of March 24. Upon their arrival, the pilot requested that the aircraft be topped off with fuel. According to a fuel receipt provided by the airport, N56306's fuel tanks were filled with 36.8 gallons of fuel the following morning. According to FAA records, the pilot of N56306 requested a weather briefing from the Denver Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) on the evening of March 26 for a VFR flight from Durango to Des Moines, Iowa. The briefer advised the pilot that VFR flight was not recommended, with AIRMETs (airman's meteorological information) for mountain obscurement along the mountains of Colorado, moderate isolated severe turbulence below 16,000 feet, and occasional moderate rime or mixed icing from 10,000 t
Probable cause
The pilot's continued VFR flight into IMC conditions. Related factors were flight into known adverse weather, the adverse weather, mountain obscuration, snow, icing, and high density altitude.
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Browse: Colorado · Piper aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
