Piper PA-18 accident near Breckenridge, Colorado, September 9, 1983
On September 9, 1983 at about 1:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N2621K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Breckenridge, Colorado (Summit County airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1983 · about 1:10 pm local time
- Place
- Breckenridge, Colorado · Summit County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N2621K · registry record · serial 54-2629
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING ON A PRIVATE ARPT THAT WAS CLOSED TO PUBLIC USE, THE PLT WAS PROHIBITED FROM USING IT TO TAKEOFF AGAIN. HE RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM THE OWNER OF A GRAVEL PLT TO USE HIS 'HAUL ROAD' WHICH WAS LOCATED NEXT TO THE ARPT. THE ELEVATION OF THE ROAD WAS ABOUT 9400 FT. THE PLT TAXIED OFF THE ARPT & ONTO THE GRAVEL PLT ROAD. HE STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, HE LOWERED THE TAIL AS HE APPROACHED LIFT-OFF SPEED. AT THAT TIME, THE ACFT HIT A ROLLING DIP IN THE ROAD & LIFTED OFF TO ABOUT 15 TO 20 FT AGL & ROLLED THE ACFT INTO A SHALLOW RIGHT TURN. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS AT THAT TIME. HE LEVELED THE WINGS AND APPLIED FULL FLAPS IN AN ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE FLYING. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT THEN HIT ON ITS NOSE & SPUN 270 DEG TO THE LEFT. AN EXAM REVEALED THE CARB HEAT WAS ON & THE MIXTURE WAAS AT FULL RICH, BUT NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE DENSITY ALT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 10,500 FT.
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
- Flight time: 1,510 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 1,431 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,633 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 3, 1983; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 20V Kremmling CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN83LA211.