Piper PA-28-140 accident near Mosca, Colorado, June 8, 2013
On June 8, 2013 at about 4:50 pm local time, a 1966 Piper PA-28-140, registered N7147R, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Mosca, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control while attempting to clear a mountain pass in turbulent conditions at a high density altitude, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle-of-attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2013 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Mosca, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140, built 1966 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7147R · no longer on the register · serial 28-21853
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to fly over a high-altitude mountain pass. Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane flying at a slow groundspeed, about 150 feet above the terrain, through the mountain pass. These witnesses stated that the airplane's engine sounded as if it was operating normally, but the airplane's wings were banking up and down erratically. One of the airplane's passengers reported that the airplane had encountered very turbulent conditions toward the end of the flight and eventually "fell out the sky." The airplane impacted rising terrain near the summit of the 10,040-foot mountain pass in a near vertical impact consistent with an inflight loss of control and subsequent aerodynamic stall. The postaccident investigation did not identify any anomalies that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane. A postaccident weather simulation indicated that there was a significant potential for turbulence while operating in and downwind of the mountain pass. Additionally, there were several pilot reports of mountain wave action and light-to-moderate turbulence in the mountainous areas surrounding the accident location. Therefore, it is likely that the airplane experienced turbulence while operating within the mountain pass. Additionally, the density altitude was about 12,000 ft, and this would have negatively affected the airplane's climb performance. The combination of the airplane's diminished climb performance and the turbulence made it unlikely that the airplane would be capable of maintaining clearance from the rising terrain, and the pilot likely lost control of the airplane while attempting to do so.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during enroute defining event
- Turbulence encounter during enroute
- Loss of control in flight during enroute
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during enroute
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Terrain induced turbulence › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,110 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 41.2 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,484.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2012; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MVI Monte Vista CO at 4:15 pm
- Destination: 1V6 Canon City CO
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from ALS, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.