Piper PA-22-150 accident near Rangely, Colorado, May 29, 1989
On May 29, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N8065D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rangely, Colorado (Rangely airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE HIGH WIND, GUSTS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE, AND HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT'S NEW HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rangely, Colorado · Rangely · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8065D · no longer on the register · serial 22-5588
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN ONTO RWY 24, WHEN THE STRONG/GUSTY WIND PUSHED THE ACFT TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. AS THE RIGHT (DOWNWIND) WHEEL DROPPED OFF THE PAVEMENT, THE LEFT WING LIFTED, THEN THE PROP & RIGHT WING TIP CONTACTED THE GROUND & THE ACFT WENT OVER TO AN INVERTED POSITION. THE PLT ESTD THE WIND WAS FROM 220 DEG AT 30 KTS. THIS WAS HIS 1ST FLT AFTER A WING LIFT MODIFICATION (TO EXTEND THE WING TIPS) HAD BEEN INSTALLED. HE STATED THE ACFT HAD BEEN IN THE SHOP FOR ABOUT 90 DAYS & HE HAD LOST 'THE EDGE' FROM LACK OF (RECENT) FLT TIME. ALSO, HE SAID HE WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE NEW HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 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
- Flight time: 398 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4VO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 74V Roosevelt UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 30 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.