Piper PA-18-150 accident near Glade Park, Colorado, January 8, 2004
On January 8, 2004 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N57534, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glade Park, Colorado (Pinyon 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 inadequate in-flight planning/decision. Contributing factors include the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing and the snow covered terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2004 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Glade Park, Colorado · Pinyon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N57534 · registry record · serial 18-7809090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Due to low clouds and visibility at the destination airport, the pilot diverted to a local air park. While circling for landing, the pilot noted that the field was snow-covered; however, he could see vegetation through the snow and bare ground where snowmobiles had made several turns. During the landing, the main landing gear sank in the deep snow and the airplane nosed over, substantially damaging the airplane.
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: 2,300 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 8, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 2003; 212 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BDG Blanding UT at 7:30 pm
- Destination: CO43 Glade Park CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; ovct at 600 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from GJT, 12 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.