Piper PA-18-150 accident near Telluride, Colorado, October 13, 1991
On October 13, 1991 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4488Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Telluride, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FLYING THE AIRCRAFT AT A HEIGHT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL WHICH WAS INADEQUATE FOR RECOVERY FROM AN ENCOUNTER WITH DOWN DRAFTS. A FACTOR WAS: DOWN DRAFT ENCOUNTER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 1991 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Telluride, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4488Z · registry record · serial 18-8843
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS CIRCLING AT APPROXIMATELY 12,500 FEET MSL AND APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET AGL. DOWNDRAFTS WERE ENCOUNTERED AND THE PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A MEADOW. DURING LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER IN THE SOFT TERRAIN.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,429 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 3,731 as pilot in command; 1,120 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTJ Montrose CO at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N4488Z 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.