Piper PA-22 accident near Saratoga, Wyoming, September 3, 1997
On September 3, 1997 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N8731C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saratoga, Wyoming (Shively 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
The pilot's failure to consult airplane performance data based upon the weather conditions that prevailed. Factors were terrain induced 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
- September 3, 1997 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Saratoga, Wyoming · Shively Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N8731C · no longer on the register · serial 22-1383
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he took off on runway 23 at Saratoga, Wyoming, but the airplane would not climb. The airplane began descending and impacted terrain approximately one mile west of the airport. The pilot attributed the descent to 'winds spilling over the ridge.' At the time of the accident, recorded winds at Laramie, Wyoming (located 37 miles north-northwest of Saratoga) were from 220 degrees at 12 knots. The altimeter setting was 30.47 inches of mercury, and the temperature was 79 degrees F. Saratoga Airport is situated at an elevation of 6,987 feet msl (above mean sea level). Based on this meteorological information, density altitude at Saratoga was computed to be approximately 9,113 feet msl. The airplane manufacturer calculated that the airplane could achieve a 450 feet per minute rate of climb.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 539 hours in all; 413 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 493 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,715 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 30, 1997; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAA at 2:30 pm
- Destination: SNY Sidney NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 8,403 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from RWL, 37 miles away
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.