Piper PA-32C-300 accident near Leadville, Colorado, April 27, 1990
On April 27, 1990 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32C-300, registered N8912N, was destroyed in an accident near Leadville, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY, HIS PERCEIVED PRESSURE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT, AND HIS LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1990 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leadville, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32C-300 · all PA-32C-300s on the register
- Registration
- N8912N · no longer on the register · serial 32-40701
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RENTED N8912N TO TRANSPORT FIVE PASSENGERS TO COLORADO FOR A SINGING COMPETITION. THE PASSENGERS HAD NOT MADE ALTERNATE TRAVEL PLANS. THE PLT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING, WHICH INDICATED LOW CLOUD CEILINGS, MODERATE TURBULENCE AND ICING ALONG HIS PLANNED ROUTE. HE FILED 10,500 FT AS HIS CRUISING ALT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A 13,700 FT HIGH MOUNTAIN AT ABOUT THE 12,000 FT LEVEL. WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS IFR. THE PLT WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 392 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 366 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1990; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT at 3:32 pm
- Destination: COS Colorado Spring CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:50 pm from LXV, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.