Piper PA-28-140 accident near Falcon, Colorado, April 17, 1993
On April 17, 1993 at about 4:17 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N7536R, was destroyed in an accident near Falcon, Colorado. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT PILOT BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. FACTORS WERE: IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS, DARK NIGHT, INACCURATE WEATHER EVALUATION BY BOTH THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PILOT, AND INADEQUATE TRAINING OF THE STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 1993 · about 4:17 am local time
- Place
- Falcon, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N7536R · no longer on the register · serial 28-22098
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT APPROXIMATELY 2210 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME A STUDENT DEPARTED COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, ON A STUDENT CROSS COUNTRY SOLO FLIGHT. THE STUDENT HAD 22 HOURS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME AND THIS WAS HIS FIRST SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE STUDENT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEF AT APPROXIMATELY 1827 THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT AND THE INSTRUCTOR HAD RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEF ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENT AT 0635 THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. BOTH WEATHER BRIEFS INDICATED WEATHER PATTERNS COULD BE EXPECTED TO BE IN THE AREA NORTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS DURING THE TIME PERIOD ENCOMPASSING THE ACCIDENT. THE BRIEFS INDICATED THAT THE WEATHER WAS EXPECTED TO BE VISUAL CONDITIONS CLEAR OF CLOUDS. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD RECEIVED NO INSTRUMENT TRAINING AND THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND RADAR AND VOICE CONTACT WAS LOST AT APPROXIMATELY 2217, 17 MILES NORTH OF COLORADO SPRINGS. THE AIRCARFT IMPACTED INTO OPEN TERRAIN AND WITNESS WEATHER OBSRVATIONS INDICATED LOW CEILINGS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY.
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: student
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,683 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 25, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: COS CO. Springs CO at 4:57 am
- Destination: RAP Rapid City SD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 0.1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.