Piper PA-28-161 accident near Broomfield, Colorado, January 30, 1990
On January 30, 1990 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9172Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado (Jefferson County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ENCOUNTER WITH SEVERE TURBULENCE DURING LANDING, AND HIS FAILURE TO DIVERT TO AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT AFTER BECOMING AWARE OF THE WIND CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LOW LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1990 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Jefferson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9172Y · registry record · serial 28-8616034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS HE LANDED, THE PLANE WAS STRUCK BY SEVERE TURBULENCE AND HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. HE SAID THE PLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT AND RAN PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY, STRIKING A DIRECTIONAL SIGN AND 3 RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED WHEN THE PLANE STRUCK THE RAISED EDGE OF AN INTERSECTION. THE PLANE CAME TO REST IN A DITCH BETWEEN THE RUNWAY AND 'ALPHA' TAXIWAY. THE CONTROL TOWER WAS REPORTING SEVERE TURBULENCE IN THE LOCAL AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 74 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,525 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D39A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11L, 9,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN90LA049.