Piper PA-28-180 accident near Craig, Colorado, September 26, 1992
On September 26, 1992 at about 8:18 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7181W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Craig, Colorado (Craig-Moffat Muni airport). It was a business 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1992 · about 8:18 pm local time
- Place
- Craig, Colorado · Craig-Moffat Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7181W · registry record · serial 28-989
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE LANDED, ROLLED APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET, THEN WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 25 AND STRUCK A DRAINAGE DITCH 120 FEET AWAY. WINDS WERE REPORTED TO BE CALM. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH OPTIONAL TOE BRAKES. THE AIRPLANE OWNER'S MANUAL NOTES THAT THE NOSE WHEEL IS STEERABLE THROUGH A 44 DEGREE ARC. STANDARD BRAKING CONSISTS OF A LEVER AND MASTER CYLINDER LOCATED BELOW AND BEHIND THE LEFT CENTER ON THE INSTRUMENT SUB PANEL.
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: 804 hours in all; 724 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 724 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 13, 1991; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CAG at 4:00 pm
- Destination: CAG
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,606 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
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.