Piper PA-24-260 and Beech 1900D accident near Rock Springs, Wyoming, September 15, 2002
On September 15, 2002 at about 7:12 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Piper PA-24-260 (N8822P) and Beech 1900D (N240GL), were involved in the same accident near Rock Springs, Wyoming (Rock Springs-Sweetwater County airport). No one was hurt; 16 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot of the Piper and the flight crew of the Beech's failure to attain proper clearance from each other during their respective landings and the intentional evasive maneuver by the pilot to avoid the other airplane. Factors contributing to the accident were inadequate visual lookout by the pilot and the crew of the other airplane and the inadvertent stall.
the flight crew of the Beech and the pilot of the Piper's failure to attain proper clearance from the other during their respective landings. Factors contributing to the accident were the crew's and the pilot of the other airplane's inadequate visual lookout for each other.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2002 · about 7:12 pm local time
- Place
- Rock Springs, Wyoming · Rock Springs-Sweetwater County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 16 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8822P · registry record · serial 24-4278
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N240GL · registry record · serial UE-240
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-24-260 final · quoted from the NTSB record
When they were 20 miles west of the airport, the pilot of a Piper PA-24 began making radio calls on Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF). The pilot reported his position, announced his intentions to land on runway 21, and requested traffic advisories. He heard no response. He made traffic pattern position calls on entering the pattern, on downwind, on base leg, and on final. The pilot said that over the approach end of runway 21 with the wheels just about to touchdown, his wife shouted on the intercom "look at that plane" and threw her arm across the pilot to point at what was at their 8 o'clock position. The pilot said he saw an airplane, a Beech 1900 on runway 27 at a fast roll approaching the runway 21/27 intersection. The pilot said he judged that the two airplanes would meet at the intersection. The pilot applied power to the engine, pulled the nose up into a landing attitude, and veered left so as to pass behind the airplane. "Seconds later we struck the ground in a tail low attitude just past RW27 and to the left of RW21." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The captain of the Beech said Air Route Traffic Control Center had cleared them for a visual approach to the airport. They briefed the approach for runway 27. They monitored Airport Weather Observing System and made an "in range" call to their station on the ground. The captain said at 20 to 25 miles out, he made a radio call on the CTAF and requested traffic advisories. He said he made advisory calls at 15, 10, and 5 miles from the airport and on short final for runway 27. On short final and approximately 200 feet above ground level, the captain said they received a Terrain Clearance Avoidance System traffic advisory showing "+300 feet," but then it disappeared. The captain said they touched down, rolled out and taxied to the gate. The captain said he heard no other traffic on the CTAF. Witnesses on the ground monitoring the CTAF, said they heard the Piper call inbound for runway 21 and then call three or four more times. An examination of the Piper showed the airplane's radio set to the CTAF. An examination of the radios on the Beech showed no anomalies. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Beech 1900D final · quoted from the NTSB record
When they were 20 miles west of the airport, the pilot of a Piper PA-24 began making radio calls on Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF). The pilot reported his position, announced his intentions to land on runway 21, and requested traffic advisories. He heard no response. He made traffic pattern position calls on entering the pattern, on downwind, on base leg, and on final. The pilot said that over the approach end of runway 21 with the wheels just about to touchdown, his wife shouted on the intercom "look at that plane" and threw her arm across the pilot to point at what was at their 8 o'clock position. The pilot said he saw an airplane, a Beech 1900 on runway 27 at a fast roll approaching the runway 21/27 intersection. The pilot said he judged that the two airplanes would meet at the intersection. The pilot applied power to the engine, pulled the nose up into a landing attitude, and veered left so as to pass behind the airplane. "Seconds later we struck the ground in a tail low attitude just past RW27 and to the left of RW21." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The captain of the Beech said Air Route Traffic Control Center had cleared them for a visual approach to the airport. They briefed the approach for runway 27. They monitored Airport Weather Observing System and made an "in range" call to their station on the ground. The captain said at 20 to 25 miles out, he made a radio call on the CTAF and requested traffic advisories. He said he made advisory calls at 15, 10, and 5 miles from the airport and on short final for runway 27. On short final and approximately 200 feet above ground level, the captain said they received a Terrain Clearance Avoidance System traffic advisory showing "+300 feet," but then it disappeared. The captain said they touched down, rolled out and taxied to the gate. The captain said he heard no other traffic on the CTAF. Witnesses on the ground monitoring the CTAF, said they heard the Piper call inbound for runway 21 and then call three or four more times. An examination of the Piper showed the airplane's radio set to the CTAF. An examination of the radios on the Beech showed no anomalies. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
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 for the Piper PA-24-260 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,557 hours in all; 761 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 2,557 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 26, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 2001; 136 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 4:07 pm
- Destination: RKS Rock Springs WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,223 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 11 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 6:54 pm from RKS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Beech 1900D from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 3,900 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command; 1,600 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 15, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 573 hours in all; 262 in this make and model; 262 in the last 90 days; 89 in the last 30 days; 241 as pilot in command; 27 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 955.1 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 14, 2002; 3.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 17,120 lb
- Seats: 21
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-67D (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 5:55 pm
- Destination: RKS Rock Springs WY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 | |||
| Passengers | 10 |
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.