Piper PA-22 accident near Rocky Ford, Colorado, October 7, 1984
On October 7, 1984 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N8759D, was destroyed in an accident near Rocky Ford, Colorado (Rocky Ford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 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
- October 7, 1984 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rocky Ford, Colorado · Rocky Ford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N8759D · no longer on the register · serial 22-5943
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AT 150 TO 200 FT AGL THE ACFT WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE CLIMB OR MAINTAIN ALT. DURING THE FORCED LANDING ROLLOUT IN A CORN FIELD THE ACFT NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. ENGINE DISASSEMBLY REVEALED NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS AS DESCRIBED BY THE PLT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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
- Flight time: 1,240 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,476 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1983; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,800 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.