Piper PA-22-150 accident near Rangely, Colorado, May 3, 2006
On May 3, 2006 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N6946B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rangely, Colorado (Rangely airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadvertent application of the brake during the landing roll. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2006 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Rangely, Colorado · Rangely · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6946B · no longer on the register · serial 22-4226
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a wheel landing touchdown approximately 1000 feet from the approach end of the runway, the aircraft swerved slightly to the left. The student pilot applied right rudder and the airplane "over-corrected to the right." During an attempt to apply rudder to correct back to the left, the student pilot inadvertently applied the left brake. The airplane nosed forward "before any further correction could be made" and the propeller contacted the runway. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 22,000 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 630 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4V0 Rangely CO
- Destination: 4V0
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.