Piper PA-42 accident near Grand Junction, Colorado, October 31, 1992
On October 31, 1992 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-42, registered N250TJ, was destroyed in an accident near Grand Junction, Colorado (Walker Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE AND RESULTANT DISORIENTATION WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1992 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Junction, Colorado · Walker Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-42 · all PA-42s on the register
- Registration
- N250TJ · registry record · serial 42-8001024
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMUTER AIR CARRIER DEPARTED MOAB, UTAH, AND FLEW TO GRAND JUNCTION, CO, VIA RNAV DIRECT MACKS INTERSECTION. AFTER CROSSING MACKS INTERSECTION, THE AIRPLANE TURNED RIGHT BUT INSTEAD OF INTERCEPTING THE LOCALIZER COURSE, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED ON A SLIGHTLY DIVERGENT TRACK TO THE EAST OF THE LOCALIZER. THE PILOT TOLD CONTROL TOWER PERSONNEL, 'I'M SHOWING TWELVE MILES OUT ON THE ILS...GETTING REAL...ERRONEOUS SIGNAL, HERE. ANY COMPLAINTS?' THE PILOT WAS ADVISED NO DIFFICULTY REPORTS HAD BEEN RECEIVED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A MESA ONE MINUTE LATER ABOUT FIVE MILES TO THE LEFT OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE. THE COCKPIT WAS DESTROYED AND NO MEANINGFUL INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM THE NAVIGATIONAL RADIOS. ALL OF THE AIRPORT'S NAVIGATIONAL AIDS WERE LATER FLIGHT CHECKED AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. ALTHOUGH VMC PREVAILED AT THE AIRPORT, THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOVE THE REPORTED CEILING HEIGHT.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,700 hours in all; 225 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,784 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 15, 1992; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,200 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-41 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Alpine Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: OAB Moab UT at 2:57 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,400 ft; scat at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:43 pm from GJT, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 DEN93FA009.