Piper PA-31-350 accident near Englewood, Colorado, December 2, 1985
On December 2, 1985 at about 1:08 am local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N9250Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 1985 · about 1:08 am local time · cases in 1985
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N9250Y · registry record · serial 31P8414029
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD BEEN FLYING APRX 7 HRS AND WAS COMPLETING THE FLT AT NIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE WAS USING VISUAL CUES (THE ARPT ENVIROMENT) TO POSITION THE ACFT AT A PROPER ALT FOR A VISUAL APCH AND LANDING. THE TERRAIN SOUTH OF THE ARPT RISES SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET ABOVE THE ARPT ELEVATION. THE TERRAIN IS SPARSELY LIT. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN 2 MILES SHORT OF RWY 34R IN AN OPEN PASTURE AT AN ELEV OF APRX 400 FT HIGHER THAN THE ARPT. THE PLT HAD FLOWN APRX 1 HR OF NIGHT TIME IN THE LAST 90 DAYS, ACCORDING TO HIS LOGBOOK.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,050 hours in all; 212 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 701 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 296 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1985; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,200 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTIO-540-V2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 9:00 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,400 ft; not recorded at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 1°F (-17°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N9250Y on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-31 Navajo and Chieftain 934 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming LTIO-540-V2AD 5 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Centennial Airport · nearest airport
- EL Paso International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 383 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,486 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN86FA034.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.