Piper PA-31-350 accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, September 24, 2001
On September 24, 2001 at about 3:04 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N161RB, was destroyed in an accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the flight crews' intentional low altitude flight, and failure to maintain obstacle clearance.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2001 · about 3:04 pm local time
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N161RB · registry record · serial 31-7952097
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on a non-scheduled cargo flight which was projected to fly an approximate 240 degree course for 92 nm. The accident site was located on a heavily forested steep mountain side, 15 to 16 nm north of the airplane's projected course. The debris field began at an east-west ridge line, and progressed for 300 feet on a 010 degree track to the downed airplane. Examination of the airframe and engines revealed no evidence of preimpact discrepancies. The accident site was in an area where the Fall color of the aspens was at its peak. Additionally, it was an area where elk were sometimes observed.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,962 hours in all; 614 in this make and model; 251 in the last 90 days; 69 in the last 30 days; 1,871 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 28, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 468 hours in all; 208 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 190 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 3, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,022 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 27, 2001; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming LTIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Key Lime Air
The flight
- Departed from: KALS Alamosa CO at 2:40 pm
- Destination: K00C Durango CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KDRO, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN01FA161.