Piper PA-34-200T accident near Pueblo, Colorado, February 21, 1990
On February 21, 1990 at about 2:49 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N1666H, was destroyed in an accident near Pueblo, Colorado (Pueblo Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDE PATH AND SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR OBSTACLES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1990 · about 2:49 am local time
- Place
- Pueblo, Colorado · Pueblo Memorial
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N1666H · no longer on the register · serial 34-7770132
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DIVERTED TO PUEBLO, CO AFTER EXPERIENCING A PROBLEM WITH THE LEFT ENGINE. HE WAS GIVEN VECTORS FOR THE ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 8L AND REPORTED THE RUNWAY INSIGHT NEAR THE OUTER MARKER. AN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER IN THE TOWER CAB STATED HE SAW N1666H ON THE APPROACH AND AS THE AIRPLANE 'PASSED THROUGH A SCUD LAYER, IT APPEARED TO BE IN A STEEP DESCENT.' THE CAPTAIN OF A MESA AIRLINES FLIGHT EXCUTING THE APPROACH BEHIND N1666H STATED HE FLEW THROUGH A LAYER OF FOG IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AND HIS VIEW OF THE RUNWAY WAS OBSCURED. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE MARKED STATIC WIRE A TOP A 75 FT. POLE, APPROXIMATELY 7,000 FT. FROM THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 8L. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS, ENGINES OR PROPELLERS.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,358 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 2,292 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,645 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHX Phoenix AZ at 11:05 pm
- Destination: PUB
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 8L, 10,496 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:57 am from PUB, 1 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.