Piper PA-32-300 accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, March 27, 1999
On March 27, 1999 at about 3:52 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N56306, was destroyed in an accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued VFR flight into IMC conditions. Related factors were flight into known adverse weather, the adverse weather, mountain obscuration, snow, icing, and high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 27, 1999 · about 3:52 pm local time
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N56306 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7340170
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before departing on the accident flight, the non-instrument rated pilot received two weather briefings, and was advised both times that VFR flight was not recommended. AIRMETs were forecasted for IFR conditions, mountain obscurement, turbulence, and icing conditions along the route of flight. Density altitude was calculated to be 13,248 feet. The aircraft became the subject of an ALNOT when it failed to arrive at its destination later that day. It was located on the morning of April 7 in a snow chute area along a 35 degree inclining slope on the east side of Chalk Peak in the San Juan Mountains east of Durango. Immediate travel to the accident site was delayed due to avalanche conditions and high snow levels. According to surface analysis data, the rising terrain at the north end of the Chalk Mountains was obscured by clouds, with an area of low pressure over Colorado and a weak cold front extended from central Nevada and Utah to along the Wyoming-Colorado border. Examination of the wreckage did not disclose any evidence of mechanical malfunction.
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: 239 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 184 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,746 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 1998; 437 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DRO Durango CO at 3:19 pm
- Destination: PRO Perry IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from DRO, 49 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.
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.