What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On September 19, 1999, at 1615 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N323DT, was substantially damaged during landing at Garfield county regional airport, Rifle, CO. The non-instrument rated private pilot and his two passengers were not injured. The airplane was being operated by the owner under title 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight that originated from aspen, Colorado, approx. 60 min. Prior to the accident. No flight plan had been filed. A witness stated that the pilot made one attempt to land, then made a go-around. The witness said weather conditions were deteriorating, and he observed the airplane make a second attempt to land on runway 26. The pilot said that the wind was 320 degrees at 25 knots and gusting to 30 knots. He landed the airplane, and then drifted off the left side of the runway striking a taxi sign. The right main landing gear separated from the airplane, the engine mount was bent, and the engine firewall was wrinkled. (-23)pilot made one attempt to land then made a go-around. The airplane made a second attempt to land on runway 26. The wind was approximately 320 d egrees at 25 knots and gusting to 30 knots. After landing the aircraft drifted off the left side of the runway striking a taxi sign. The right main landing gear spearated from the airplane, engine mount was bent, and the engine firewall was wrinkled.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON SEPTEMBER 19, 1999, AT 1615 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-32-300, N323DT, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING LANDING AT GARFIELD COUNTY REGIONAL AIRPORT, RIFLE, CO. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE OWNER UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED FROM ASPEN, COLORADO, APPROX. 60 MIN. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE PILOT MADE ONE ATTEMPT TO LAND, THEN MADE A GO-AROUND. THE WITNESS SAID WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE DETERIORATING, AND HE OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MAKE A SECOND ATTEMPT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 26. THE PILOT SAID THAT THE WIND WAS 320 DEGREES AT 25 KNOTS AND GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS. HE LANDED THE AIRPLANE, AND THEN DRIFTED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING A TAXI SIGN. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS BENT, AND THE ENGINE FIREWALL WAS WRINKLED. (-23)PILOT MADE ONE ATTEMPT TO LAND THEN MADE A GO-AROUND. THE AIRPLANE MADE A SECOND ATTEMPT TO LAND ON RUNWAY 26. THE WIND WAS APPROXIMATELY 320 D EGREES AT 25 KNOTS AND GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS. AFTER LANDING THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING A TAXI SIGN. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SPEARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE, ENGINE MOUNT WAS BENT, AND THE ENGINE FIREWALL WAS WRINKLED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.