Piper PA-28-161 accident near Garfield, Colorado, July 15, 1990
On July 15, 1990 at about 3:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8102C, was destroyed in an accident near Garfield, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO THE MOUNTAIN PASS AND THE SUBSEQUENT INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE GROUND CLEARANCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1990 · about 3:05 pm local time
- Place
- Garfield, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8102C · registry record · serial 28-806100
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE 1/2 MILE AWAY FROM MONARCH PASS, FLYING TOWARD THE PASS. THEY SAID IT PASSED UNDER HIGH VALTAGE POWER LINES THAT WERE ACROSS THE VALLEY, FLYING JUST ABOVE THE TREES. IT STARTED A NOSE HIGH RIGHT TURN. THEN ABRUPTLY TURNED LEFT, AND DROPPED NOSE DOWN TOWARD THE TREES. IT IMPACTED AT 10,800 FEET MSL. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED AT 13,200 FEET. MONARCH PASS IS 11,312 FEET MSL. THE GROSS WEIGHT AND THE CG WERE WITHIN LIMITS. NO PRE-IMPACT PROBLEMS COULD BE FOUND WITH THE AIRPLANE OR ENGINE.
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: 817 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 729 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,804 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1990; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Spring CO at 3:06 pm
- Destination: SAC Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from COS, 70 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.