Piper PA-28-235 accident near Dove Creek, Colorado, August 19, 1989
On August 19, 1989 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N56654, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dove Creek, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, UPHILL SLOPING RUNWAY, FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST AND USE ALL OF THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY, AND THE RISING TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTION (POWER LINE) BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 1989 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Dove Creek, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N56654 · no longer on the register · serial 88-7410019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & 3 PSGRS WERE BEGINNING A X-COUNTRY FLT. THE PLT SAID HE MADE A 'QUICK OUTSIDE CHECK' OF THE AIRPLANE THAT DID NOT INCLUDE A FUEL SUMP DRAIN. HE TAXIED ONTO RWY 1, WHICH SLOPED UPWARD TO THE NORTH. HE ESTIMATED THE WINDS WERE CALM. THE PLT SAID HE STARTED HIS TAKEOFF RUN 300 FT DOWN THE RUNWAY, MADE A 'RUNNING' MAGNETO CHECK, BUT HE DID NOT MAKE A CARBURETOR HEAT CHECK. HE SAID THE PLANE ONLY CLIMBED ABOUT 30 FT AGL. HE NOTICED IT WAS NOT CLIMBING AS FAST AS THE TERRAIN ROSE, SO HE DECIDED TO LAND IN A FIELD TO AVOID POWER LINES IN THE FLT PATH. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WING HIT THE GND & THE LANDING GEAR WAS TORN OFF. THE DOOR JAMMED, BUT A PASSERBY HELPED THE OCCUPANTS FROM THE CABIN. AN INVESTIGATION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PRE-ACDNT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. DENSITY ALT WAS ABOUT 8700 FT. ABOUT 37 MI WEST, THE WIND FROM 200 DEG AT 5 KTS.
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: 5,807 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 5,807 as pilot in command; 1,802 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,709 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1988; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Observation at 1:31 pm from 4BL, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.