Piper PA-23-250 accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, January 14, 2002
On January 14, 2002 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6935Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the total power failure of the right engine due to the failure of its lubricating system. Contributing factors were the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing, and the terrain being above the airplane's single engine performance capability.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2002 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6935Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-4292
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that both engines developed good power during the takeoff roll. After climbing to 8,400 feet, the right engine started missing badly and blue smoke was observed coming from the inboard side of the engine cowling. The pilot said that he shut the engine down, and turned back towards the airport. He decided to restart the right engine, but the engine seized up approximately 20 seconds after he restarted it. He performed a forced landing to a small field on a heavy forested ridge approximately 2 miles south of the airport. Both wings were bent, and the fuselage was wrinkled. The airplane's Pilot Owners Handbook indicates that the airplane's single engine absolute ceiling is 6,400 feet. The salvage/recovery team reported that they found excessive oil on and around the right engine nacelle. The exact cause of the oil system failure was never determined.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,215 hours in all; 470 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,016 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 28, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,006 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 2001; 104 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2V1 Pagosa Springs CO at 6:25 pm
- Destination: SAF Santa Fe NM
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from DRO
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.