Piper PA-60-600 accident near Denver, Colorado, August 11, 1985
On August 11, 1985 at about 1:47 am local time, a Piper PA-60-600, registered N3643R, was destroyed in an accident near Denver, Colorado (Stapleton Intn'T airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. 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 11, 1985 · about 1:47 am local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Stapleton Intn'T · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-600 · all PA-60-600s on the register
- Registration
- N3643R · no longer on the register · serial 600837816124
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT IN COMMAND STATED THAT HE WAITED APRX 90 SECONDS AFTER A B-727 DEPARTED ON RWY 8R DUE TO POSSIBLE WAKE TURBULENCE. PLT CONTINUED TO STATE THAT HE USED A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF PROCEDURE TO CLIMB ABOVE THE FLT PATH OF THE B-727. HE STATED THAT DURING CLIMBOUT N3643R BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL TO THE LEFT AT APRX 600 FEET. THE PLT REGAINED ROLL CONTROL JUST PIROR TO GROUND IMPACT. THE PIPER AEROSTAR IS CERTIFICATED WITHOUT A STALL WARNING DEVICE. THE WIND AT STAPLETON ARPT AT THE TIME N3643R TOOKOFF WAS 170 DEGREES AT 20 KTS WITH GUSTS TO 28 KTS. ACCORDING TO THE PLT OPERATING HANDBOOK, THE DEMONSTRATED CROSSWIND COMPONENT IS 15 KNTS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,529 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 259 in the last 90 days; 1,347 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,040 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1986; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Avco Lycoming IO-540-K1J5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DEN at 1:47 am
- Destination: HO1 Chandler OK
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 8R, 10,010 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 20 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:52 am from DEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.