Piper PA-23 accident near Erie, Colorado, May 1, 1982
On May 1, 1982 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-23, registered N13845, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erie, Colorado (Erie Airpark airport). It was a business 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1982 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · Erie Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N13845 · no longer on the register · serial 27-4486
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB AND WAS LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS HARD TO MOVE AND DURING TESTS MOVING IT CAUSED THE ENGINES TO QUIT. PIPER AD 80-18-10 WARNS THAT SCOTT MANUFACTURED SELECTOR VALVES "COULD CAUSE POWER LOSS DUE TO MALFUNCTION OF THE VALVES". DISASSEMBLY OF THE VALVE ON THIS AIRCRAFT REVEALED SCRATCH MARKS ON THE SLIDING PORTION INDICATIVE OF BINDING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,358 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 3,097 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,270 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48V Erie CO at 12:15 pm
- Destination: 48V Garden City KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.