Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Nucla, Colorado, December 15, 1984
On December 15, 1984 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N2193Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nucla, Colorado (Hopkins-Montrose CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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
- December 15, 1984 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nucla, Colorado · Hopkins-Montrose CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N2193Y · no longer on the register · serial 201T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AFTER LANDING ON CENTERLINE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND ICE ON THE RWY CAUSED THE ACFT TO VEER LEFT. AN ABORT WAS INITIATED BUT REALIZING THAT THE ACFT WAS GOING OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY THE PLT SECURED THE ENG. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AS THE ACFT ROLLED INTO A SNOW BANK. OTHER ACFT LANDED SAFELY SHORTLY BEFORE AND AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,058 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1984; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-FB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: El Toro Marine Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: N2J El Toro CA at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 4,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from GJT, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.