# Accident 19990327043229A: Piper PA32300, Pagosa Springs, CO, March 27, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 27, 1999
- Place: Pagosa Springs, CO
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.2409° N, 107.0304° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2409&lon=-107.0304&mi=10
- Aircraft: N56306, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N56306-2000-12-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32300
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99FA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99FA064) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990327043229A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) ON SATURDAY, MARCH 27, 1999, N56306, A PIPER MODEL PA-32-300, DEPARTED DURANGO, COLORADO ON A FLIGHT INTENDED FOR DES MOINES, IOWA. ALTHOUGH THE EXACT DEPARTURE TIME IS UNKNOWN, IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE FLIGHT DEPARTED DURANGO BETWEEN 0730 AND 0800MST. WHEN THE FLIGHT FAILED TO ARRIVE AT DES NOINES, IOWA AT THE PLANNED EPA OF 3:00 PM, A CONCERNED FRIEDN REPORTED THE A/C MISSING. SEARCH OPERATIONS COMMENCED. ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 7, 1999, THE A/C WAS LOCATED AT APPROX. 11,400 FEET ON CHALK MOUNTAIN, APPROX. 25 MILES SOUTH EAST OF PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLORADO. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT ACCESSABLE DUETO HEAVY SNOW COVER, STEEP TERRAIN AND TREACHEROUS AVALANCHE CONDITIONS. IT APPEARED THAT THE A/C IMPACTED THE TERRAIN APPROX. 11,800 TO 12,000 FEET. THE WING SECTION WAS SEEN AT ABOUT 11,400 FEET AND THE TAIL SECTION WAS RESTING BELOW THAT NEAR THE TREE LINE. THE CABIN SECTION WAS NOT LOCATED. THE A/C WAS DESTROYED AND IT IS PRESUMED THAT THE PILOT AND 2 PASSENGERS RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN99FA064](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99FA064), Mar 27, 1999: Piper PA-32-300 (N56306), Pagosa Springs, CO, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's continued VFR flight into IMC conditions. Related factors were flight into known adverse weather, the adverse weather, mountain obscuration, snow, icing, and high density altitude.

## Other reports on N56306 (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19900922048219I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900922048219I), Sep 22, 1990: Piper PA32300 (N56306), Des Moines, IA. Smoke in cockpit after departure. Returned. Heater used for first time in months.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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