Piper PA-24-250 N6406P

Summary

On 2 October 1999 at about 02:06 local time, a Piper PA-24-250 registered N6406P was involved in an accident near La Junta, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 October 1999 at 02:06

Classification

Accident

Location

La Junta, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

La Junta Municipal (LHX)

Coordinates

37.9807, -103.5401

Aircraft

Piper PA-24-250

Registration

N6406P

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fredericktown → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DEN00LA002

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain a proper altitude during final approach to landing, and his misjudgment of altitude clearances. Factors were the sudden windshift, downdraft and turbulent weather conditions, the dark night, and the pilot's lack of familiarity with the geographic area.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and pilot-certificated passenger were on a return cross-country flight that originated from Washington, D.C., with a final destination of Lancaster, California. They departed Missouri earlier in the day, and had planned a stop in Colorado. While approaching Colorado's La Junta airport for landing, the aircraft encountered wind shifts, downdrafts and turbulent weather conditions. As the pilot turned onto final approach during one of several unsuccessful landing attempts, the aircraft impacted the ground at an elevation of 4,500 feet msl in dark night conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.