Piper PA-23-250 accident near Denver, Colorado, April 3, 1992
On April 3, 1992 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6460Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denver, Colorado (Jeffco airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF HYDRAULIC FLUID DUE TO A RUPTURED HYDRAULIC LINE IN THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1992 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Denver, Colorado · Jeffco · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6460Y · registry record · serial 3754
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CFI WAS INSTRUCTING AN INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL PILOT. DURING A PRACTICE MISSED APPROACH, THE LANDING GEAR FAILED TO RETRACT. THE CREW ATTEMPTED TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR USING ALL AVAILABLE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. A FLY-BY THE TOWER REVEALED THAT THE MAIN GEARS WERE DOWN WHILE THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS IN TRANSIT. DURING LANDING ROLLOUT, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AS SOON AS IT MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY. THE GEAR MALFUNCTION WAS THE RESULT OF A RUPTURED HYDRAULIC FLUID LINE. THE DEPLETION OF THE HYDRAULIC FLUID RENDERED THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM INOPERABLE.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,950 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 5,050 as pilot in command; 3,860 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1991; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-J4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2V2 Longmont CO at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 9,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:05 pm from BJC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.