Piper PA-34-220T accident near Durango, Colorado, March 3, 2001
On March 3, 2001 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N8356X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado (Animas Air Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 directional control. A contributing factor was the blown tire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2001 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · Animas Air Park
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8356X · registry record · serial 34-8133041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
When the airplane touched down, it veered off the side of the runway and into a ditch. The pilot said a tire blew out, causing him to lose control.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,450 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 14, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 73 hours in all; 11 in the last 90 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 4,700 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LCN Lancaster TX at 6:30 pm
- Destination: DRO Durango CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 01, 5,010 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from DRO, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.