Piper PA-24-250 accident near Peyton, Colorado, December 18, 1988
On December 18, 1988 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6843P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peyton, Colorado (Meadow Lake 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
- December 18, 1988 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Peyton, Colorado · Meadow Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6843P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS PRACTICING A TOUCH AND GO LANDING. DURING A TURN TO FINAL, THE PLT HEARD AN ACFT REPORT FINAL FOR A STRAIGHT IN. HE SAID HE BECAME DISTRACTED AND FAILED TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR. THE ACFT LANDED WITH THE GEAR UP AND SLID 500 FEET, COMING TO REST MID-FIELD.
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: student
- Flight time: 169 hours in all; 169 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 480 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00V Falcon CO at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 00V
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 4,150 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from COS, 7 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.