Piper PA-18-125 accident near Westcliffe, Colorado, November 9, 1996
On November 9, 1996 at about 6:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-125, registered N1334A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Westcliffe, Colorado (Silver West airport). It was a personal 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
failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 9, 1996 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Westcliffe, Colorado · Silver West · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-125 · all PA-18-125s on the register
- Registration
- N1334A · registry record · serial 18-1147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he entered a left downwind leg for runway 31. The windsock appeared 'limp, favoring down the runway from the northwest.' The airplane touched down on the runway centerline approximately 1,000 feet past the threshold and began drifting to the right. The pilot corrected with opposite rudder. The airplane drifted left and the left main wheel went off the runway edge. The pilot was attempting to return the airplane to the centerline, when the 'left main caught on pavement edge and the airplane came free, veering hard right.' The airplane then went off the right side of the runway about 1,200 to 1,500 feet past the threshold at a 40 degree angle. It went down an embankment into soft soil and nosed over.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,161 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 4,400 as pilot in command; 1,383 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,154 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 1996; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48V Erie CO at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 4CO3
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 7,000 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.