Piper PA-28-140 accident near Erie, Colorado, August 7, 1983
On August 7, 1983 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N2893T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erie, Colorado (Tri-County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- August 7, 1983 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · Tri-County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N2893T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7225273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF IN VMC WX CONDITIONS WITH AN ARPT ELEVATION OF 5145 FT MSL AND TEMPERTAURE 86 DEGREES F. DENSITY ALT WAS 7468 FT. IN THE PILOTS OPERATING HANDBOOK THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE VS DENSITY ALT CHART GOES TO AMAX ALT OF 7000 FT. A NOTE SAYS 'EXTRAPOLATION OF THE CHART ABOVE 7000 FT DENSITY ALT IS INVALID'. AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR STATED THAT A TAKEOFF SHOULD NOT BE ATTEMPTED IF THE TAKEOFF DISTANCE CANNOT BE DETERMINED BY THE CHARTS. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN THE THE MIXTURE WAS LEANED USING THE PILOTS TECHNIQUE. IT WAS FOUND THAT 100 MORE RPM WAS OBTAINED WHEN THE MIXTURE WAS SET WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL LEANED AN ADDITIONAL 1/2 INCH. THE PLT HAD USED RWY 15 WHICH IS 5400 FT LONG FOR TAKEOFF. TAKEOFF ROLL WAS LONGER THAN USUAL & THE ACFT WOULD NOT CLIMB ABOVE 200 FT. THE TERRAIN WAS RISING TO THE SOUTH SO THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A PLOWED FIELD ONE MILE SOUTH OF THE ARPT.
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: 514 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 480 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,046 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 29, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: BJC Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from BJC, 7 miles away
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.