Piper PA-28-181 accident near Villa Grove, CO
On September 1, 1999, a Piper PA-28-181 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Villa Grove, CO. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 1, 1999
- Place
- Villa Grove, CO
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.251°N, 105.950°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X19735
Official records · DEN99FA157
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 1, 1999, approximately 0825 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N4366D, operated by Colorado Skyways, Inc., of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was destroyed when it collided with mountainous terrain and burned 10 miles northwest of Villa Grove, Colorado. The commercial rated flight instructor and the commercial rated pilot receiving instruction were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and a company VFR flight plan had been filed. The flight originated at Colorado Springs approximately 0730. The investigation revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation had contracted with Colorado Skyways to train those special agents who were also pilots in mountain flying techniques. Each week during the months of August and September, training classes of three agents each were conducted (8 weeks, 24 agents). This was the third year Colorado Skyways had provided this training. The company has 10 airplanes in its fleet, including 6 Cessna 172s and a Piper PA-28-181, and employs 5 full time and 6 part time flight instructors. Since it also has a contract with the U.S. Air Force Academy to provide introductory flight training for cadets, only two Cessna 172s were available for FBI use. It was decided that the tallest agent would fly the Piper PA-28-181. Three special agents arrived in Colorado Springs on Monday, August 30 to begin the fifth mountain flying class of 1999. The next day, they attended 4 hours of ground school that included a briefing for the ne
Probable cause
The flight instructor's improper inflight decision to enter a narrow blind/box canyon, and his misjudgment of the vertical and lateral clearances. A factor was the downdrafts.
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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.
