Piper PA-28-140 accident near Rawlins, Wyoming, August 29, 1988
On August 29, 1988 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5873U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rawlins, Wyoming (Rawlins Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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 29, 1988 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Rawlins, Wyoming · Rawlins Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5873U · no longer on the register · serial 28-26705
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT AND PAX WERE ON A FLIGHT FROM MILWAUKEE, WI, TO LAS VEGAS, NV. THE PLT MADE AN UNSCHEDULED STOP AT RAWLINS DUE TO POOR VIS AND LOW FUEL. THE AIRPLANE WAS LOADED WITH SUIT CASES, CAMPING GEAR, COOLERS AND FULL FUEL. THE PILOT AND PAX COMBINED WEIGHT WAS APPROXIMATELY 395 LBS. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF FROM RAWLINS THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT BUT ABORTED DUE TO A HIGH DENSITY ALT. THE PLT DEPARTED THE NEXT MORNING AND ATTAINED A 100 FT PER MINUTE RATE OF CLIMB. THE PLT STATED THE ENG 'STALLED' DUE TO 'A LACK OF HORSEPOWER TO HANDLE THE WT OF THE ACFT AT HIGH ALT.' THE ACFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE OFF ARPT LANDING. THE DENSITY ALT WAS CALCULATED TO BE APPROX 7427 FT.
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: 400 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,385 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 13, 1988; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RWL at 1:15 pm
- Destination: Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 7,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Observation at 12:25 pm from RWL
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.
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.