North American T-28A accident near N. Winter Park, Colorado, February 12, 1983
On February 12, 1983 at about 9:53 pm local time, a North American T-28A, registered N28TW, was destroyed in an accident near N. Winter Park, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- February 12, 1983 · about 9:53 pm local time
- Place
- N. Winter Park, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T-28A · all T-28As on the register
- Registration
- N28TW · no longer on the register · serial 51-3616
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE SURVIVING PASSENGER (THE PLT'S 15 YR OLD SON), THEY SAW SOME SKIERS AFTER CROSSING OVER A MOUNTAIN PASS. HE STATED THAT AS THEY TURNED, HIS FATHER SAID, 'LET'S BUZZ THEM.' HE REPORTED THAT THEY TURNED SHARPLY, 'SORT OF DOVE DOWN TO BUZZ THEM,' THEN THAT WAS ALL HE COULD REMEMBER. ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE SKIERS THAT WAS FAMILIAR WITH T-28 ACFT, THEY HEARD & SAW THE T-28 CROSS ROLLINS PASS AT APRX 300 TO 350 FT AGL. AS THE ACFT PASSED, THEY WAVED AT IT & THEN THE PLT RESPONDED (THEY BELIEVED) BY ROCKING HIS WINGS. SOON AFTER THAT, THE ACFT WENT INTO A STEEP LEFT BANK AS IF TO TURN BACK TOWARD THEM. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE ACFT WAS TURNING AT A CONSTANT ALTITUDE, WHEN THE NOSE SUDDENLY DROPPED. THE PLT LEVELED THE WINGS & THE ACFT STARTED A DIVE, THEN DISAPPEARED FROM HIS VIEW, BEHIND A RIDGE. HE HEARD POPPING SOUNDS THAT HE THOUGHT SOUNDED LIKE A T-28 HAVING HAD THE THROTTLE MOVED RAPIDLY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL FAILURES FOUND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,314 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,225 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 20, 1982; 125 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lyco/Wright R-1820 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2V2 Longmont CO at 9:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 30 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.