Piper PA-28-180 accident near Falcon, Colorado, December 8, 2006
On December 8, 2006, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N6487J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Falcon, Colorado (Meadow Lake Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of power due to carburetor icing. Contributing factors were weather conditions conducive to carburetor icing, unsuitable terrain available on which to make a forced landing and the tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2006
- Place
- Falcon, Colorado · Meadow Lake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6487J · no longer on the register · serial 28-4917
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was established on a base leg for runway 15 when the engine lost power. The pilot lined up with an adjacent road and continued for a forced landing. The pilot stated that prior to the landing he checked his carburetor heat, mixture, throttle, and magnetos in attempt to troubleshoot the power loss. He stated that he observed car lights and "swerved into [the] tree." The airplane became lodged in the tree, resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the engine and related systems revealed no anomalies. The routine aviation weather report reported, temperature minus 01 degrees Celsius (C); dewpoint, minus 05 degrees C. According to the carburetor icing probability chart conditions were conducive for "serious icing at glide power" and "serious icing at cruise power."
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,109 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 912 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,950.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2006; 75.7 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00V Falcon CO
- Destination: 00V Falcon CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 6,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.43 inHg
- Observation at 11:54 pm from KCOS, 11 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.