North American AT-6D accident near Redcliff, Colorado, August 15, 1986
On August 15, 1986 at about 10:33 pm local time, a North American AT-6D, registered N9813C, was destroyed in an accident near Redcliff, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 15, 1986 · about 10:33 pm local time
- Place
- Redcliff, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American AT-6D · all AT-6Ds on the register
- Registration
- N9813C · registry record · serial 84995
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A HUSBAND & WIFE RPRTD THAT THE ACFT FLEW NEAR THEIR HOUSE AT A VERY LOW ALT, THEN CLIMBED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE SUN TO CLEAR OVER A BRIDGE. MOMENTS LATER, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES THAT WERE SUSPENDED BETWEEN 2 TOWERS. THE TOWERS WERE LOCATED ATOP ROCK FORMATIONS NEAR THE BRIDGE & WERE 1027' APART. IMPACT WITH THE LINES OCCURRED NEAR WHERE THEY DROOPED TO THEIR LOWEST POINT ABOUT 250' AGL. AFTER HITTING THE POWER LINES, THE ACFT CONTD TO FLY, BUT THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT. THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED INTO TREES ON MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
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, military, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 53 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,132 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1986; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1340-AN-1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: LXV Leadville CO at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from EGE, 25 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N9813C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.