North American T-6 accident near Grand Junction, Colorado, April 24, 1983
On April 24, 1983 at about 5:43 pm local time, a North American T-6, registered N9644C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Junction, Colorado (Walker Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- April 24, 1983 · about 5:43 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Junction, Colorado · Walker Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T-6 · all T-6s on the register
- Registration
- N9644C · registry record · serial 49-3292
- 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 HE MADE HIS APPROACH TO RWY 22 WITH A CROSSWIND OF 23 KTS. THE ACFT BOUNCED AND RELANDED ON 3 POINTS FAIRLY HARD. THE ACFT ROLLED OUT FOR 100 YARDS VEERING TO LEFT, THEN TURNING 90 DEGREES LEFT. THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED. THE WIND WAS REPORTED FROM 180 DEGREES AT 18 KTS GUSTING TO 25 KTS.
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; single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,239 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,366 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:50 pm from GJT
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.