Piper PA-28-235 accident near Crested Butte, Colorado, December 18, 2001
On December 18, 2001 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N8704W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crested Butte, Colorado (Buckhorn Ranch 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
a wet brake that later froze resulting in a loss of directional control on landing. A contributing factor was the snow bank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 2001 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Crested Butte, Colorado · Buckhorn Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8704W · no longer on the register · serial 28-10237
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said the runway was covered by a thin layer of snow that had recently been plowed. The airplane touched down, rolled about 10 feet, and began "pulling" to the left. The pilot applied right rudder but to no avail. He applied full right aileron and lifted the left wing to clear an 18-inch snow bank on the side of the runway. The airplane traveled another 100 feet before the left wing lost lift and settled back down to the runway. The airplane "went through snow," spun around, and stopped 20 feet off the side of the runway. The pilot found a skid mark on the runway made by the left wheel. He suspected the wheel may have gotten wet when he had taxied for takeoff and the brake froze. He said the temperature at 12,000 feet was -20 degrees F.
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: 190 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,264 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 179 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GJT Grand Junction CO at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 0CO2 Crested Butte CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from GUC, 98 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.