Piper PA-18-150 accident near Monument, Colorado, June 15, 1996
On June 15, 1996 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N111BF, was destroyed in an accident near Monument, Colorado. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions in an aircraft which not instrument-equipped. Factors were clouds, low ceiling, and rain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1996 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Monument, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N111BF · no longer on the register · serial 18-8526
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While conducting a weather check flight prior to towing a glider from one airport to another, the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions. The aircraft was not instrument-equipped for nonvisual flying. The aircraft impacted the ground in a vertical attitude. The pilot had over 11,000 hours of flight time and was instrument certificated. No evidence was found during the investigation that indicated any preaccident aircraft failure or 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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,962 hours in all; 228 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 1996; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00V Falcon CO at 2:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Elbert CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.