Piper PA-28-160 accident near Crested Butte, Colorado, July 19, 1989
On July 19, 1989 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5673W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Crested Butte, Colorado. 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE WHILE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1989 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Crested Butte, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5673W · no longer on the register · serial 28-867
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING FLT AT 11,300 FT MSL NEAR A 12,516 FT MOUNTAIN, HE SAW A HERD OF ELK. HE MADE A LEFT TURN TO RETURN TO THE MOUNTAIN. HE SAID THE PLANE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT THAT PRODUCED A 500 FPM RATE OF DESCENT. THE PLT APPLIED FULL POWER, BUT COULD NOT STOP THE DESCENT. HE SAW A CLEAR AREA NEAR THE 10,000 FT LEVEL & ELECTED TO LAND. DURING THE LANDING, BOTH WINGS, THE FUSELAGE AND THE LANDING GEAR WERE DAMAGED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 603 hours in all; 394 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 536 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,558 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 1989; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3V6 Crested Butte CO at 1:50 pm
- Destination: GUC Gunnison CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.