Piper PA-28-161 accident near Kiowa, Colorado, September 26, 1984
On September 26, 1984 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8145V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kiowa, Colorado. It was an instructional 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
- September 26, 1984 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kiowa, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8145V · registry record · serial 28-8016244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE THE STUDENT PLT INAVERTANTLY SHUT OFF THE FUEL. DURING THE ACTUAL FORCED LANDING IN A ROUGH FIELD, THE ACFT CONTACTED A YUCCA PLANT AND A GEAR COLLAPSE RESULTED. THE CFI LATER REPORTED THE SPRING LOADED SAFTY STOP ON THE FUEL SELECTOR APPEARED NORMAL BUT IN FACT WAS BROKEN IN A MANNER WHICH ALLOWED THE SELECTOR HANDLE TO PASS OVER THE STOP WITHOUT HAVING TO DEPRESS THE STOP. THE CFI ALSO STATED THE STUDENT PLTS LEG OBSTRUCTED HIS VIEW OF THE SELECTOR SWITCH.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 565 hours in all; 208 in this make and model; 303 in the last 90 days; 515 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,130 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 7, 1984; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°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.