Piper PA-32-300 accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado, August 10, 1991
On August 10, 1991 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N44641, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT EXCEEDED WEIGHT AND BALANCE LIMITATIONS. FACTORS WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1991 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spring, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N44641 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7440165
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT AND HIS FIVE PASSENGERS DEPARTED COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, ON A PROPOSED CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO ALABAMA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB TO 150 FEET VERY SLOWLY AND THEN LEVEL OFF. THE PILOT SAID IN A POSTACCIDENT INTERVIEW THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB OR ACCELERATE NORMALLY. HE SAID AS THE AIRSPEED DETERIORATED, HE WAS FORCED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT WAS 311 POUNDS OVER MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 7,500 FEET.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 6,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 2A3 Bessemer AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 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.