Piper PA-31T accident near Craig, Colorado, January 6, 1989
On January 6, 1989 at about 8:07 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T, registered N82290, was substantially damaged in an accident near Craig, Colorado (Craig-Moffat airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
UNSUITABLE TERRAIN (RUNWAY CONDITION) SELECTED BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, INADEQUATE REMOVAL OF SNOW FROM THE RUNWAY BY AIRPORT PERSONNEL, UNEVEN SNOW COVERED RUNWAY, LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION BY THE PILOT, AND SNOWBANKS BESIDE THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 6, 1989 · about 8:07 pm local time
- Place
- Craig, Colorado · Craig-Moffat · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- N82290 · no longer on the register · serial 31T-7820058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REQUESTED THE SNOW COVERED RWY BE REPLOWED BEFORE HE TOOK OFF. HE RPRTD THAT AFTERWARD, HE SAW NO SNOW RIDGES OR EVIDENCE OF UNEVEN PLOWING & CONCLUDED THE 'RUNWAY DEMARCATION WAS ADEQUATE FOR TAKEOFF.' HE SAID THAT DRG TAKEOFF, AT ABOUT 80 KTS, HE FELT THE LEFT GEAR DRAG AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO SWERVE LEFT. HE CORRECTED WITH RUDDER & THE AIRPLANE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT EDGE OF THE RWY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE & IT CONTINUED INTO A SNOWBANK & WAS DAMAGED. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT SWERVED AFTER ENCOUNTERING A 'SNOWRIDGE' LEFT BY THE SNOWPLOW. NO PRE-ACDNT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS RPRTD.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,555 hours in all; 2,300 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 9,319 as pilot in command; 3,124 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,450 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 11, 1988; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cummins Power INC
The flight
- Departed from: CAG at 8:07 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 5,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.