Piper PA-28-150 accident near Antonito, Colorado, June 12, 2006
On June 12, 2006 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-150, registered N584W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Antonito, Colorado. 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 attain a safe altitude before attempting to cross mountainous terrain. Contributing factors were the downdrafts and the high density altitude conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 12, 2006 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Antonito, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-150 · all PA-28-150s on the register
- Registration
- N584W · registry record · serial 28-2247
- 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 after takeoff, he started climbing to 10,500 feet. When he reached 10,000 feet, a "strong and persistent" downdraft forced him to land on a ridge at 9,350 feet elevation. During the landing, the right main and nose landing gears were torn off.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,960 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,920 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,099 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALS Alamosa CO at 8:50 pm
- Destination: SJN St. Johns AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from ALS, 300 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.