Piper PA-28-236 accident near Glenwood Springs, Colorado, May 3, 2026
On May 3, 2026 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA-28-236, registered N2904R, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Glenwood Springs, Colorado (Sumers Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a fuel farm fence while taxiing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2026 · about 7:00 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Glenwood Springs, Colorado · Sumers Airpark · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-236, built 1979 · all PA-28-236s on the register
- Registration
- N2904R · registry record · serial 28-7911237
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a turn while taxiing near a fuel farm at a slow speed, the airplane's left wing contacted the fuel facility fence. Following the initial impact, the airplane pivoted toward the fence, resulting in additional contact with the fenced enclosure. The collision resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Following the accident, the pilot identified several areas to reduce the risk of similar occurrences. These areas included conducting a more deliberate visual assessment of obstacle clearance before initiating turns in confined ramp or taxi areas, requesting wing-walking assistance or external guidance when maneuvering near obstacles, and allowing additional taxi distance before beginning turns to increase wingtip clearance margins.
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
- Ground collision during taxi defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (to runway)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Response/compensation
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 525 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 410 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 6, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-540-J3A5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Club Cherokee INC
The flight
- Departed from: GNB Granby CO at 6:15 pm
- Destination: GWS Glenwood Springs CO
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from K5SM, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K5SM 031855Z AUTO 10SM BKN070 OVC080 05/M09 A3029 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – N2904R with left wing substantial damage
Photograph 2 – Left side fuselage damage at wing rootThe 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 1, 2026. 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 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2904R on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Warrior, Archer and Arrow 18,639 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,848 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-540-J3A5D 6 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Kgws Sumers Airpark · nearest airport
- Granby-Grand County · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 384 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,455 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN26LA272.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.