# Accident 19990919026869A: Piper PA32300, Rifle, CO, September 19, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 19, 1999, 16:15 local time
- Place: Rifle, CO
- Airport: Garfield County Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.5305° N, 107.7698° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5305&lon=-107.7698&mi=10
- Aircraft: N323DT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N323DT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32-300 (registry code 7103212, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-300) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental IO-540 series (registry code 17051, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32300
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA167) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990919026869A

## Narrative

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

(.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.

## 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 DEN99LA167](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA167), Sep 19, 1999: Piper PA-32-300 (N323DT), Rifle, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: 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.

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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