Socata TB-20 accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, April 23, 1997
On April 23, 1997 at about 7:37 pm local time, a Socata TB-20, registered N20NK, was destroyed in an accident near Pagosa Springs, 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
inadvertent flight by the pilot into known adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain altitude or clearance from terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: low ceiling, rain, snow, icing conditions, and mountainous terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1997 · about 7:37 pm local time
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Socata TB-20 · all TB-20s on the register
- Registration
- N20NK · no longer on the register · serial 766
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on a cross-country flight, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather. He contacted a FSS and requested to change his VFR clearance to IFR. Due to his inability to climb to an IFR MEA in visual conditions and crossing traffic, the IFR request was not accepted. He informed the controller he thought he was 'picking up tail plane ice' and would have to descend to better weather (visibility) conditions and plan an alternate route. Later in the day, the pilot's wife reported that he had not arrived, and an ALNOT was issued. The aircraft was found 5 days later where it had impacted into a mountain at 11,100 feet msl, near the area where the pilot had made the last radio contact. Impact marks showed that the aircraft was in level flight when it crashed. The aircraft partially burned following impact. Weather in the area, at the time of the accident, was reported as low clouds, with the mountain tops obscured, rain, and snow. Due to weather, access to the site by investigators was not achieved until 8/5/97. The accident occurred on 4/23/97.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 927 as pilot in command; 340 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 698 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 24, 1997
- Maximum gross weight: 3,086 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4D5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SEZ Sedona AZ at 4:46 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from FMN, 240 miles away
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.