Piper PA-22-160 accident near Brighton, Colorado, December 31, 1999
On December 31, 1999 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N9225D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brighton, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's not following preflight procedures, the starvation of fuel to the engine, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 31, 1999 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brighton, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N9225D · no longer on the register · serial 22-6285
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the preflight, the pilot did not visually look into the fuel tanks. He said that he turned the master switch on, and the fuel gauges indicated approximately one half full. During the takeoff roll, he raised the nose wheel quickly to keep the prop out of the dirt. He said that he performed a steeper then normal climb-out, and then turned left continuing the steep climb. He said the engine stopped, and the metal propeller stopped turning. A pilot/mechanic said that if a steep climbing departure turn is performed by a pilot, and the airplane is only partially fueled, unporting of the fuel lines in the wing tanks is possible, resulting in fuel starvation to the engine. No preimpact engine or airframe anomalies, which might have affected the airplane's performance, were identified. Pilot training manuals caution the pilot to visually look into fuel tanks during preflight and not to rely on cockpit fuel gauges.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 818 hours in all; 690 in this make and model; 678 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,527 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 1999; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from DEN, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.