Piper PA28 accident near Falcon, Colorado, July 31, 2019
On July 31, 2019, a 1963 Piper PA28, registered N8641W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Falcon, Colorado (Meadow Lake 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 maintain a proper approach path and his delayed decision to go around, which resulted in impact with a construction barrier before the runway. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to land on a runway closed for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2019
- Place
- Falcon, Colorado · Meadow Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 235, built 1963 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N8641W · no longer on the register · serial 28-10158
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the main runway was closed at the airport, so he planned to make a short-field landing on a perpendicular 2,084-ft-long runway (runway 8). During landing, the airplane "ended up short," and he attempted to go around, but he did not add power fast enough. The airplane impacted a construction barrier near the runway threshold, and the left main landing gear separated. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Archived NOTAMs for the date of the accident stated the following: RWY 15/33 CLSD; RWY 08 CLSD TO LDG; RWY 26 CLSD EXC FSL. The airport manager reported that runway 15/33 was closed due to construction and that they issued a NOTAM with the intention that pilots could take off on runway 8 and conduct only full-stop landings on runway 26 to avoid construction equipment.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wall/barricade › Effect on operation
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,325.6 hours in all; 221.1 in this make and model; 19.8 in the last 90 days; 1.1 in the last 30 days; 826.9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 22, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,413 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Spring CO at 1:00 am
- Destination: FLY Falcon CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 2,084 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 11,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Observation at 1:35 am from KFLY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 18, 2019. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB 6120.1 Flight Time Amendment | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - Airport Manager | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Archived Notams | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.