Piper PA-30 accident near Ft. Carson, Colorado, September 11, 1991
On September 11, 1991 at about 1:28 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7730Y, was destroyed in an accident near Ft. Carson, Colorado. 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 LOSS OF POWER TO BOTH ENGINES DUE FIRST TO FUEL STARVATION FOLLOWED BY FUEL EXHAUSTION, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL, AND THE INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR WAS: THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF POWERPLANT CONTROLS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1991 · about 1:28 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Carson, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7730Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-819
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING HIS FIRST SOLO PRACTICE FLIGHT THREE DAYS AFTER RECEIVING HIS MULTIENGINE RATING. HE HAD 18 HOURS MULTIENGINE TIME. WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR A PRACTICE APPROACH, THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE AIRCRAFT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DUE TO SINGLE ENGINE PERFORMANCE LIMITS. THE TURBOCHARGERS WERE NOT ENGAGED. APPROACH CONTROL VECTORED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT. THE PILOT HAD DIFFICULTY IN SPOTTING THE AIRPORT AND THE SECOND ENGINE QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION DURING THE APPROACH. THE PILOT THEN INADVERTENTLY STALLED THE AIRCRAFT WHICH ROLLED OVER AND DOVE INTO THE GROUND.
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: 1,220 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,075 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,725 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-CIA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Spring CO at 12:16 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.