Piper PA-31-350 accident near Greeley, Colorado, February 21, 1990
On February 21, 1990 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N3554P, was destroyed in an accident near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley/Weld Cty airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER IDENTIFICATION OF PARTS IN THE PIPER PA-31-350 SERVICE MANUAL PERTAINING TO THE AILERON CABLES. THIS DISCREPANCY RESULTED IN THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE AILERON CABLES ON THE RIGHT AILERON BELLCRANK BY A MECHANIC DURING THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE RIGHT WING. THE IMPROPER CONNECTION RESULTED IN A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL BY THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF. ALSO CAUSAL TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM BY A SECOND MECHANIC WITH INSPECTION AUTHORIZATION, AND THE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM BY THE PILOT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF.
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 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley/Weld Cty · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3554P · registry record · serial 318052052
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
N3554P WAS ON A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT AFTER THE RIGHT WING WAS REPAIRED. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE SHORTLY AFTER LIFTOFF AND WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL PRIOR TO THE GROUND IMPACT. THE A&P MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED THE REPAIRS, RE ASSEMBLED THE RIGHT WING AILERON CONTROL CABLES PER THE PIPER SERVICE MANUAL. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AILERON CONTROL SYSTEM REVEALED THE RIGHT WING CONTROL CABLES WERE REVERSED ON THE AILERON BELLCRANK, RESULTING IN BOTH AILERONS MOVING THE SAME DIRECTION (EITHER UP OR DOWN) WHEN THE CONTROL WHEEL WAS TURNED LEFT OR RIGHT.
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: 2,455 hours in all; 139 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,598 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J28D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Beegles Aircraft Services, INC
The flight
- Departed from: GXY at 3:15 pm
- Destination: GXY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 6,210 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°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.
Other NTSB records under N3554P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.