Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, October 1, 1994
On October 1, 1994 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N1480X, was destroyed in an accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, THE TURBULENCE 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
- October 1, 1994 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N1480X · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7535288
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIVATE PILOTS, ENROLLED IN A PROFESSIONAL PILOT COURSE, WERE BUILDING CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TIME FOR THEIR COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATION. ON THE RETURN FLIGHT FROM CALIFORNIA TO TEXAS, ROUTING WAS PLANNED THROUGH COLORADO FOR THE INSTRUCTIONAL PORTION OF THE MOUNTAIN CURRICULUM. AIRMETS INCLUDED WEATHER ADVISORIES FOR TURBULENCE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AMENDED THE FLIGHT ROUTE AND CONTINUED EVEN THOUGH FLIGHT WATCH ISSUED THE AIRMET FOR TURBULENCE AND THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. COMPANY PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR HAD MADE NUMEROUS FLIGHTS ALONG THE REGULAR MOUNTAIN FLYING CURRICULUM ROUTE (HIGHEST ELEVATION 9,927 FEET); HOWEVER, 'THIS WAS THE INSTRUCTOR'S FIRST TRIP CROSSING THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE THROUGH THE CANYON AT ELWOOD PASS' AN ELEVATION OF 11,875 FEET. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS CALCULATED AT 14,000 FEET. THIS WAS THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S SECOND DEMONSTRATION THAT DAY FOR A 180 DEGREE TURN- AROUND PROCEDURE IN A BOX CANYON ENVIRONMENT. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT 'NEAR THE COMPLETION OF THE TURN, WE EXPERIENCED A SEVERE UNEXPECTED DOWNDRAFT' WITH A RESULTING RATE OF DECENT OF '6,000 FPM' AND THE AIRPLANE HIT THE TREES.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,400 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 7,200 as pilot in command; 6,600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,977 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 13, 1994; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGA Page AZ at 7:03 pm
- Destination: ALS Alamosa CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from ALS, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.