Eiriavion Oy PIK-20D accident near Crested Butte, Colorado, August 8, 1982
On August 8, 1982 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Eiriavion Oy PIK-20D (glider), registered N199A, was destroyed in an accident near Crested Butte, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- August 8, 1982 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Crested Butte, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Eiriavion Oy PIK-20D · all PIK-20Ds on the register
- Registration
- N199A · no longer on the register · serial 20537
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ATTENDING AN "AVIATION WEEKEND" SPONSORED BY THE TOWN OF CRESTED BUTTE, CO. HE HAD FLOWN IN THIS AREA OFTEN AND WAS ACQUAINTED WITH THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER. AFTER BEING TOWED TO AN AREA NEAR THE NORTHWEST CORNER OF MT CRESTED BUTTE, A NORMAL RELEASE WAS MADE. IN A RADIO TRANSMISSION TO THE GLIDER, THE TOW PILOT NOTED THAT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE LIFT, BUT MAYBE HE (THE TOW PILOT) HAD FELT SOMETHING ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN AS HE WAS CIRCLING BACK TO LAND AFTER THE RELEASE. THE MESSAGE WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY THE GLIDER PILOT. WHO THEN TOOK A PICTURE OF THE TOW PLANE. THE GLIDER PILOT THEN PROCEEDED AROUND THE MOUNTAIN WHERE HE CRASHED ON THE NORTH FACE OF MT CRESTED BUTTE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE GLIDER WAS ON A HEADING OF 070 DEG WHEN IT STRUCK A 60 FT PINE TREE ABOUT 20 FT FROM THE TOP. IT HAD IMPACTED THE TREE WITH IT'S LEFT WING ROOT, SEVERING BOTH THE WING AND THE TREE. THE FUSELAGE CAME TO REST ABOUT 100 AWAY AFTER PARTIALLY UPROOTING A STUMP.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 750 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (type not recorded); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Crested Butte CO at 11:50 am
- Destination: Crested Butte CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.