Piper PA-38-112 accident near Ft. Collins, Colorado, November 16, 1985
On November 16, 1985 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2601G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Collins, Colorado (Dwntwn Ft Collins Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- November 16, 1985 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Collins, Colorado · Dwntwn Ft Collins Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2601G · no longer on the register · serial 79A0566
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH LARGE CHUNKS OF SNOW ON THE RWY DURING TAKEOFF ROLL. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE ROLL ABOUT MID-WAY DOWN THE RWY HE SPOTTED THE SNOW AND DECIDED TO ABORT BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID THE SNOW. THE LEFT GEAR CONTACTED THE SNOW AND THE ACFT VEERED LEFT CONTACTING A SNOW BERM. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR THEN COLLAPSED.
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: 118 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 78 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,959 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 1985; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mt. Flyers Aero Club
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,700 ft by 48 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 348° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 69 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Observation at 3:45 pm from FCL, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.