What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft crashed under unknown circumstances west of denver at corona Pass. (.19) on December 30, 1998, approximately 1300 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-28-181, N8112S, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed after colliding with terrain while maneuvering near rollinsville, Colorado. The private pilot and his two passengers received minor injuries. The personal flight was being conducted under title 14 CFR part 91, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from boulder municipal airport, boulder, Colorado, approximately 30 minutes before the accident. Although visual meteorological conditions existed at broomfield, Colorado, the pilot reported that instrument meteorological condition prevailed at the accident site. According to the pilot, he was en route to steamboat springs, Colorado, when he encountered strong winds and blowing snow. He made the decision to return to boulder. He said that after he turned around, a strong downdraft caused the aircraft to impact the ground. (-23) pilot received a weather briefing prior to flight. Pilot decided to fly even though weather conditions were marginal at best. privacy data omitted privacy data omitted pilot encountered a strong downdraft over Rollins Pass while attempting to return to boulder, because of weather conditions. He had insufficient power to recover and crashed on the Pass. Pilot and two passengers had minor injuries. The passengers were privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES WEST OF DENVER AT CORONA PASS. (.19) ON DECEMBER 30, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1300 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-28-181, N8112S, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, WAS DESTROYED AFTER COLLIDING WITH TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR ROLLINSVILLE, COLORADO. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM BOULDER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, BOULDER, COLORADO, APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ALTHOUGH VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT BROOMFIELD, COLORADO, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITION PREVAILED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS EN ROUTE TO STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, COLORADO, WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG WINDS AND BLOWING SNOW. HE MADE THE DECISION TO RETURN TO BOULDER. HE SAID THAT AFTER HE TURNED AROUND, A STRONG DOWNDRAFT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO IMPACT THE GROUND. (-23) PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO FLIGHT. PILOT DECIDED TO FLY EVEN THOUGH WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE MARGINAL AT BEST. ^PRIVACY DATA OM^ ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PILOT ENCOUNTERED A STRONG DOWNDRAFT OVER ROLLINS PASS WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO BOULDER, BECAUSE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. HE HAD INSUFFICIENT POWER TO RECOVER AND CRASHED ON THE PASS. PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS HAD MINOR INJURIES. THE PASSENGERS WERE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.