Piper PA-12 accident near Buena Vista, Colorado, March 11, 2003
On March 11, 2003 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-12, registered N78559, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buena Vista, Colorado (Buena Vista Muni Arpt airport). 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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the crosswind weather condition and gusty wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 2003 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Buena Vista, Colorado · Buena Vista Muni Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-12 · all PA-12s on the register
- Registration
- N78559 · registry record · serial N78559
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness said the airplane was departing on runway 15, and exited the left side of the runway and subsequently descended a steep 100 foot embankment resulting in damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot said that a "gust of wind hit me just as I was lifting off." The local meteorologist said that the wind was 210 to 270 degrees at 15 knots and gusts to 21 knots..
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: 491 hours in all; 358 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 355 as pilot in command; 130 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 2, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,449 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 2002; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7V1 Buena Vista CO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: APA Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 8,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from LXV, 32 miles away
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.
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.