Piper PA-28 accident near Empire, Colorado, July 9, 1984
On July 9, 1984 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N9638W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Empire, Colorado. 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
- July 9, 1984 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Empire, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N9638W · no longer on the register · serial 28-23096
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED, 'DEPARTED ARAPAHOE, PLANNING ON SELECTING BEST MOUNTAIN PASS VERSUS ALTITUDE ACHIEVED. AT 10,500, DECIDED PASS I WAS ENTERING WOULD BE TOO DIFFICULT & BEGAN MANEUVERING FOR 180 TURN. SEVERE DOWNDRAFT OCCURRED & ALTITUDE & AIRSPEED LOST PRECLUDED A SAFE 180 DEG (TREE WERE OBSTACLE POTENTIAL IN LAST HALF TURN). DECIDE TO GO FOR CLEAR, PAVED AREA, BUT INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE WOULD NOT PERMIT 90 DEG TURN TO LAND.' THE ACFT CRASHED ON A CONCRETE COVERED CLEARING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,025 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 3,525 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,684 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 1984; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Denver CO at 3:00 pm
- Destination: S27 Kalispell MT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 14,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.