Piper PA-32-300 N323DT

Summary

On 19 September 1999 at about 22:15 local time, a Piper PA-32-300 registered N323DT was involved in an accident near Rifle, Colorado, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 September 1999 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Rifle, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Garfield County Regional (RIL)

Coordinates

39.5305, -107.7698

Aircraft

Piper PA-32-300

Registration

N323DT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Aspen → Rifle

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN99LA167

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing roll. Factors were the strong crosswind weather conditions, and the runway sign that the airplane impacted.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said weather conditions along his route of flight to Las Vegas, Nevada, had deteriorated, and he wanted to land to let the weather pass. He said that the airport's unicom reported winds at 340 degrees for 30 knots, gusting to 35 knots. A witness said that the pilot made one attempt to land on runway 26, then performed a go-around. The witness said weather conditions were deteriorating, and he observed the airplane make a second attempt to land. The pilot said that he landed on the left side of the runway, and a 'gust seemed to have kicked the aircraft further to the left [and] struck a runway sign.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.