Piper PA-28-181 accident near Vail, Colorado, March 22, 1985
On March 22, 1985 at about 3:20 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8359B, was destroyed in an accident near Vail, Colorado. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- March 22, 1985 · about 3:20 am local time
- Place
- Vail, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8359B · no longer on the register · serial 288190193
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DID NOT OBTAIN A WX BRIEFING, FILE A FLIGHT PLAN OR REFUEL THE ACFT PRIOR TO DEPARTING FOR EAGLE COLORADO. THE ACFT DEPARTED AT 1800 UNDER VFR COND. THE PLT REPORTED OVER MINTURN CO AT 2019. WITNESSES AT VAIL CO STATED THAT THE WX COND WERE POOR FROM 2000 TO 2045 WITH HEAVY WET SNOW FALLING AND VISIBILITY OF 100 FT OR LESS. ONE CALLED IT A BLIZZARD. ANOTHER WITNESS SAW A PLANE ABOUT THIS TIME AT LOW ALT JUST OVER THE RIDGE BEING BURRETED BY THE WWND AND LABORING AT HIGH POWER. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACC. ABOUT AN HOUR BEFORE THE ACC THE PLT HAD REQUESTED WX BY RADIO. THE WX THEN WAS REPORTED AS CEILINGS LOWERING WITH MT TOPS OBSCURED, WX DETERIORATING. THE FLT ACKNOWLEDGED THE REPORT AT 1920. HE REQUESTED WX AGAIN AT 2019. THE EAGLE FSS GAVE THE WX FOR EAGLE AND THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. THERE WERE NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PLT.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 90 hours in all; 90 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,117 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 18, 1984; 154 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3V4 Fort Morgan CO at 1:00 am
- Destination: EGE Eagle CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.