Piper PA-28RT accident near Grand Junction, Colorado, November 6, 2002
On November 6, 2002 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT, registered N2904C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Junction, Colorado (Walker Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the collapse of the left main landing gear during landing roll resulting in loss of control/ground loop/swerve and subsequent impact with a sign. Contributing factors include, the airplane's total loss of electrical power due to an alternator failure and the inoperative landing gear indicating system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 2002 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Junction, Colorado · Walker Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT · all PA-28RTs on the register
- Registration
- N2904C · registry record · serial 28R-7931250
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the return flight, approximately 35 miles from the destination airport, the airplane's alternator failed and all electrical power was lost. Attempts to restore electrical power were unsuccessful. The pilot used his cell phone to call the airport's tower and was given clearance to land. He followed the airplane's emergency checklist to manually extend the landing gear and landed the airplane. During the landing roll, the airplane's left main landing gear collapsed, the airplane veered off the runway and struck a taxiway sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its left wing.
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: 395 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 296 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 20, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,605 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 2002; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FBI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DRO Durango CO at 8:15 pm
- Destination: GJT Grand Junction
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 10,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 9:07 pm from GJT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N2904C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.