Piper PA-32-300 N4005W

Summary

On 1 April 1983 at about 03:00 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N4005W was involved in an accident near Castle Rock, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

1 April 1983 at 03:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Castle Rock, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.3704, -104.8503

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-300

Registration

N4005W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Colorado Sprgs → Englewood

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DEN83FA089

2 people were seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT MADE TWO ENROUTE STOPS AT PLACES OTHER THAN PLANNED BECAUSE HE WAS CONFUSED AND DISORIENTED. WHEN HE COULD NOTGET A SECTIONAL CHART HE WANTED HE TOOKOFF WITHOUT IT AFTER ONE OF THESE LANDINGS. AFTER THE SECOND LANDING HE TOOK OFF IGNORING A RED LIGHT FROM THE TOWER. HE LISTENED TO A WEATHER REPORT ON THE ACFT RADIO AND EVEN THOUGH THE WEATHER WAS DETERIORATING HE CONTINUED ON TRYING TO MAINTAIN VFR. UNAWARE OF THE HIGH TERRAIN BETWEEN COLORADO SPRINGS AND DENVER AND SEEING LIGHTS TO THE RIGHT AND LEFT THE PILOT THOUGHT HE WAS IN A VALLEY AND FLEW INTO A RIDGE SUDDENLY WITH NO WARNING. LOCAL RESIDENTS SAID THERE WAS STRONG WINDS, BLOWING SNOW, AND LOW VISIBILITY AT THE TIME AND PLACE OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.