Cessna 340A accident near Crawford, Colorado, September 25, 1986
On September 25, 1986 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N6663G, was destroyed in an accident near Crawford, Colorado. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- September 25, 1986 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Crawford, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N6663G · no longer on the register · serial 340A0693
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A VFR FLT WITH NO FLT PLAN FILED OR WX BRIEFING. HE ENCOUNTERED A WX SQUALL LINE EN ROUTE WITH LOW CEILINGS, FOG, MIXED RAIN AND SNOW. WHILE HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER VFR THROUGH THE WX AT A LOW ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ACFT ENTERED CLOUDS AND IMPACTED TERRAIN AT 7,500 FEET MSL IN 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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,241 hours in all; 1,420 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1986; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,975 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GUC Gunnison CO at 11:20 pm
- Destination: GJT Grand Junction CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from MTJ, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.