Piper PA-34-200 accident near Erie, Colorado, February 28, 1983
On February 28, 1983 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N8295L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erie, Colorado (Tri County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- February 28, 1983 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · Tri County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N8295L · no longer on the register · serial 34-8170033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED HE ENCOUNTERED AN UNEXPECTED DOWNDRAFT OR SHEAR EFFECT & LANDED APPROXIMATELY 102 FT SHORT OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN COLLIDED WITH A BAR DITCH LOCATED ABOUT 63 FT FROM THE THRESHOLD FOLDING BACK THE MAIN GEAR. THE ACFT THEN SLID DOWN THE CENTERLINE OF THE RWY, VEERED OFF TO THE RIGHT SIDE & STOPPED APPROXIMATELY 75-100 FT FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RWY. THE DITCH WAS ABOUT 3 FT WIDE & 2 FT DEEP, & IS ORIENTED PERPENDICULAR TO THE RWY. THERE WAS ANOTHER MUCH LARGER DITCH LOCATED AT THE OPPOSITE END OF THE RWY. NEITHER DITCH WAS MENTIONED IN ANY ARPT PUBLICATION OR NOTAM IDENTIFYING IT AS A POTENTIAL HAZARD.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,397 hours in all; 380 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 1,257 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,250 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 1982; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-EB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,280 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from BJC, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.