Piper PA 28-180 accident near Cody, Wyoming, October 11, 2013
On October 11, 2013 at about 10:00 pm local time, a 1965 Piper PA 28-180, registered N31BA, was substantially damaged in an accident during emergency descent near Cody, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power during climb to cruise for reasons that could not be determined due to no postaccident examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 11, 2013 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cody, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-180 180, built 1965 · all PA 28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N31BA · no longer on the register · serial 28-2673
- 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 about 15 minutes after departure and during the climb to cruise altitude, the engine lost power. The pilot checked the cockpit gauges and switched fuel tanks, however the engine would not restart. A forced landing was initiated and during the descent in mountainous terrain, the airplane collided with trees and the terrain. The wreckage has not been recovered and the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during emergency descent defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Not specified
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 12, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,876 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 21, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 2,685 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COD Cody WY at 9:30 pm
- Destination: U02 Blackfoot ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.