Piper PA-28R accident near Near Almosa, Colorado, July 17, 1982
On July 17, 1982 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R, registered N5114S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Almosa, Colorado (Abandoned Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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
- July 17, 1982 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Near Almosa, Colorado · Abandoned Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R · all PA-28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N5114S · registry record · serial 28R-7135148
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING FLIGHT, HIS OIL TEMPERATURE BEGAN TO RISE AND HE ELECTED TO LAND ON AN ABANDONED AIR STRIP. DURING THE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED ROUGH, UNEVEN TERRAIN, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LANDING GEAR AND RIGHT WING WERE DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE AIR STRIP WAS AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 7600 FT AND WAS CORRECTLY MARKED TO SHOW IT WAS CLOSED. THE ENGINE WAS CHECKED AND A RUN-UP WAS MADE ON A 100 DEGREE DAY. NO MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT AND THE ENGINE OPERATED WELL WITHIN ITS TEMPERATURE LIMITS.
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: 297 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,038 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rainbow Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: BJE Jefferson CO. CO at 10:00 am
- Destination: ALS Alamosa CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 185°F (85°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.