Piper PA-24-260B accident near Akron, Colorado, November 15, 1987
On November 15, 1987 at about 10:42 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260B, registered N9039P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Akron, Colorado (Akron-Washington County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. 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
- November 15, 1987 · about 10:42 pm local time
- Place
- Akron, Colorado · Akron-Washington County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260B · all PA-24-260Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9039P · no longer on the register · serial 24-4502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BFR TKOF, SNOW WAS MELTED OFF THE ACFT IN A HEATED HANGAR. THE FLT WAS BGN IN BLOWING SNOW WITH A FORECAST OF OCNL MOD ICING TO 20,000'. THE PLT SAID THE SNOW LASTED ONLY 5 TO 10 MIN & ONLY A TRACE OF ICE (LESS 1/16 INCH) ACCUMULATED DRG THE 1ST 15 MIN OF FLT. NO FURTHER ACCUMULATION OF ICE WAS NOTED. APRX 45 MIN AFTER TKOF, WHILE CRUISING IN IMC CONDUCIVETO INDUCTION SYS ICING, THE ENG SUDDENLY LOST PWR & WOULD NOT RESTART. THE PLT DSCNDD TWD AN ARPT IN IMC TO APRX 400' AGL, BUT MADE A WHEELS-UP LNDG WHEN HE COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT. HE ATTRIBUTED THE LOSS OF PWR TO BLOCKAGE OF THE AIR INDUCTION FILTER. THE INDUCTION SYS WAS EQUIPPED WITH A SPRING LOADED DOOR WHICH WAS INTENDED TO OPEN AUTOMATICALLY & ALLOW HEATED ALTN AIR TO FLOW TO THE ENG IN THE EVENT THE FILTER BCM BLOCKED. NONETHELESS, PIPER INDCD THAT OPN IN ICINGCONDS COULD CAUSE ICE TO ACCUMULATE IN THE FUEL INJECTION SYS & RESULT IN LOSS OF PWR. TO AVOID THIS, PIPER SVC BULLETINNO: 861 WAS ISSUED ON 5/4/87 FOR INSTLN OF AN IMPROVED MANUALLY OPERATED ALTN AIR SYS ON FUEL INJECTED PA-24-260 ACFT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,091 hours in all; 249 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 996 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,127 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1987; 108 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 10:54 pm
- Destination: DSM Des Moines IA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from AKO, 2 miles away
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.
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.