Piper PA-32-300 accident near Rifle, Colorado, September 19, 1999
On September 19, 1999 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N323DT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rifle, Colorado (Garfield County Regional). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 aircraft control during landing roll. Factors were the strong crosswind weather conditions, and the runway sign that the airplane impacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1999 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Rifle, Colorado · Garfield County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N323DT · registry record · serial 32-7740024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said weather conditions along his route of flight to Las Vegas, Nevada, had deteriorated, and he wanted to land to let the weather pass. He said that the airport's unicom reported winds at 340 degrees for 30 knots, gusting to 35 knots. A witness said that the pilot made one attempt to land on runway 26, then performed a go-around. The witness said weather conditions were deteriorating, and he observed the airplane make a second attempt to land. The pilot said that he landed on the left side of the runway, and a 'gust seemed to have kicked the aircraft further to the left [and] struck a runway sign.'
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: 155 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASE Aspen CO at 9:45 pm
- Destination: RIL Rifle CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 24 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from RIL
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.