Piper PA-25-235 accident near Boulder, CO
On February 6, 2010, a Piper PA-25-235 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Boulder, CO. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- February 6, 2010
- Place
- Boulder, CO
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 40.077°N, 105.271°W
- NTSB ID
- 20100204X45658
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 6, 2010, at 1327 mountain standard time, a Cirrus SR20 airplane, N825BC, collided with a Piper PA-25-235 airplane, N8718L, while the Piper was conducting glider tow operations with a Schweizer SGS 2-32 glider, N2472W, near Boulder, Colorado. Both the Cirrus and the Piper were substantially damaged. The Schweizer was not damaged. The Cirrus was owned and piloted by a private individual. Mile High Gliding, Inc., operated both the Piper and the Schweizer. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. All three flights were being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without flight plans. The commercial pilot aboard the Piper and the private pilot and passenger aboard the Cirrus were all fatally injured. The commercial pilot and two passengers aboard the Schweizer were not injured. The Cirrus departed Erie Municipal Airport (KEIK), Erie, Colorado, as a local flight approximately 1245. The Piper and Schweizer departed Boulder Municipal Airport (KBDU), Boulder, Colorado, as a glider tow flight approximately 1320. According to a statement taken from the pilot of the Schweizer, the purpose of the flight was a scenic glider flight for a birthday party. The tow flight departed runway 8, performed a 360-degree turn for altitude on the east end of the airport, and then continued to a west/northwest heading. He stated that during this portion of the flight he was pointing out various landmarks in Boulder, and other aircraft in the vicinity, to the two passengers. The pilot of the Schweizer remarke
Probable cause
The failure of both pilots to see and avoid the other resulting in a midair collision. Contributing to the accident was the lack of perceived visual relative motion of the Piper and the Cirrus to the pilot of each airplane, the terrain background, and the overcast weather conditions making it difficult for either pilot to visually acquire the other aircraft.
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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.
