Piper PA28-180 accident near Leadville, Colorado, November 15, 1982
On November 15, 1982 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA28-180, registered N8385W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leadville, Colorado (Lake County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- November 15, 1982 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Leadville, Colorado · Lake County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-180 · all PA28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8385W · registry record · serial 28-2588
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAKING OFF IN SNOW WITH WHEEL PANTS INSTALLED. THE PANTS FILLED WITH SNOW AND PLANE PULLED TO LEFT. IN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND GET BACK ON THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE ASPHALT RIDGE ON THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY SEPARATING THE NOSE-GEAR FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
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
- Flight time: 348 hours in all; 298 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 317 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LXV Leadville CO at 5:58 pm
- Destination: 4VO Rangely CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.