Piper PA-30 accident near Watkins, Colorado, July 16, 1998
On July 16, 1998 at about 3:45 am local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N444BP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watkins, Colorado (Front Range airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot misjudged his altitude. Contributing to the accident were unfavorable wind and dark night conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 1998 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Front Range · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N444BP · no longer on the register · serial 1757
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following takeoff for a local area personal night flight, the pilot noticed lightning to the north of his position so he returned to land. While on a 2 mile final for landing on runway 8, the aircraft settled and struck the ground. The pilot said he thought he encountered a low level wind shear. Weather at the time was scattered clouds with 10 miles visibility and wind from 160 degrees at 18 knots. An airport located approximately 7 miles northwest of the accident site was equipped with low level wind shear alert equipment which was operational. The equipment did not sound an alarm. The pilot said he was flying at 6,000 feet msl and the accident site elevation was 5,689 feet msl.
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 engineer
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,500 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,726 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1998; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTG at 3:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:40 am from FTG, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.