Piper PA28 accident near Ault, Colorado, April 7, 2025
On April 7, 2025 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1980 Piper PA28, registered N8282V, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Ault, Colorado. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s failure to maintain terrain clearance during an attempted go-around, which resulted in a collision with a fence post.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 2025 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ault, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 161, built 1980 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N8282V · registry record · serial 28-8116060
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported the airplane was flown over a remote grassland area to perform a simulated engine failure with the student pilot. During the maneuver, the flight instructor commanded a go-around about 300 to 400 ft above ground level. The student pilot hesitated, he retracted the flaps without adding power, and the flight instructor took the fight controls to complete the go-around. When the flaps were retracted, the airplane’s stall warning horn activated. As the flight instructor attempted to recover from the possible aerodynamic stall situation, the main landing gear settled onto the ground and the left wing impacted a fence post. The left wing became separated from the fuselage, the airplane traveled through a fence, and it came to rest partially upright on a pasture. The flight instructor and student pilot were able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The flight instructor reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The flight instructor further reported that the accident could have been prevented by an improved briefing with the student on training procedures prior to the flight and utilizing a higher go-around altitude during the maneuver to maintain terrain clearance.
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
- Simulated/training event during approach (VFR go-around)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR go-around)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Evacuation during post (impact)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 35,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 25,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 21, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-360-A4M (piston); 6,700 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GXY Greeley CO at 2:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 am from KGXY, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGXY 071456Z 24003KT 10SM CLR 07/M03 A3015 RMK AO2 SLP215 T00671028 50008
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – View of the front of the airplane at the accident site with the left wing separated
Photograph 2 – View of the rear of the airplane at the accident site
Photograph 3 – View of the front of the airplane at the accident site with the left wing recoveredThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on May 29, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Flight ADS-B Data (.Kmz File) | map file | Download |
| 4 | Accident Flight ADS-B Data (.Xlsx File) | spreadsheet | Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.