Piper PA-25-235 accident near Akron, Colorado, April 25, 1988
On April 25, 1988 at about 8:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-235, registered N9569P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Akron, Colorado (Akron-Washington County airport). It was a positioning flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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
- April 25, 1988 · about 8:25 pm local time
- Place
- Akron, Colorado · Akron-Washington County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-235 · all PA-25-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9569P · no longer on the register · serial 257405680
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THE WIND WAS FROM 200 DEGREES AT 10 KTS, AS HE BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 13. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT REACHED 20-30 FEET AGL IT BEGAN TO SINK AND COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT SAID HE THOUGHT HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHEAR OR CHANGE OF WIND DIRECTION WHICH RESULTED IN THE SINK.
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: 5,632 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 5,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1987; 310 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AKO at 8:25 pm
- Destination: NONE Wiggins CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 1,950 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 10 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.