CEN26LA001

On October 1, 2025, about 0412 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200 airplane, N999AD, was substantially damaged during an accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The pilot sustained minor injuries, and the 2 passengers were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that the airplane’s fuel tanks were topped off (48 gallons usable) before he departed on the cross-country flight with the 2 passengers. The pilot reported that his weight-and-balance calculations indicated that the airplane weighed about 2,477 lbs before engine start. The pilot reported that he did not identify any anomalies with the airplane during his preflight inspection or the before takeoff engine runup. The tower controller issued a takeoff clearance for runway 35L from the taxiway A4 intersection. After taxiing onto runway 35L, the pilot held the airplane’s brakes as he increased the engine to takeoff power and leaned the mixture to yield maximum power. The pilot reported that he conducted a normal takeoff with the flaps retracted and that liftoff occurred shortly after the expected rotation speed. The pilot reported that after liftoff the airplane’s climb was less than the 600 fpm he expected based on his preflight takeoff performance calculations. He stated that the airplane’s airspeed was about 80 mph, which was slower-than-normal for the initial climb after takeoff. The pilot confirmed that the engine throttle and propeller control were full-forward and then increased the mixture control to full rich. The pilot stated that despite the engine operating, he was unable to increase the airplane’s airspeed and/or climb rate sufficiently to maintain clearance from the rising terrain that was ahead of the airplane. Ultimately, the pilot attempted to land the airplane on a multi-lane highway below the airplane. The pilot stated that shortly before landing the airplane suddenly rolled left and pitched down. In the moments before ground impact, the pilot pulled back on the yoke and used right rudder to reestablish a level flight attitude. The pilot stated that the airplane’s flight path crossed over the northbound lanes to the southbound lanes before the airplane landed on all 3 landing gear simultaneously. The airplane then impacted two power poles as it slid to a stop. The pilot reported that the engine continued to run after the accident and to secure the engine he pulled the mixture control to cutoff and turned off both engine magnetos. After the engine stopped, he placed the electrical master switch to off and exited the airplane with his two passengers. According to the pilot, he normally retracts the airplane’s landing gear after the airplane accelerates to 90-100 mph and has climbed above 500 ft above ground level (agl). The pilot stated that he did not retract the landing gear at any point during the flight. According to recorded FAA ADS-B track data, the airplane’s flight pathcontinued north after takeoff from runway 35L, as depicted in figure 1. At 0407:48, the airplane was 2,215 ft from the departure end of runway 35L and about 82 ft agl. At that time, the airplane’s calibrated airspeed and vertical speed were about 78.5 mph and 375 fpm, respectively. Airplane performance calculations based on the recorded ADS-B track data established that the airplane’s calibrated airspeed was less than airplane manufacturer’s specified best rate-of-climb airspeed (95 mph) and best angle-of-climb airspeed (85 mph) with the landing gear extended for the entire flight, as shown in figure 2. The airplane made several climb-and-descents during the flight which yielded an average vertical speed of 110 fpm. At 0412:31, the airplane’s calibrated airspeed was about 80 mph when it suddenly rolled left about 120 ft agl, as shown in figure 3. The final ADS-B track data, at 0412:41, showed the airplane was about 5.7 nautical miles (nm) north of the departure airport at about 6 ft agl. At that time, the airplane’s calibrated airspeed was about 72 mph. According to the Piper PA-28R-200 Airplane Flight Manual (AFM), the airplane’s engine-off aerodynamic stall speed at maximum gross weight (2,650 lbs) with the wing flaps retracted and the landing gear extended is 71 mph. With an 8,000 ft density altitude, the airplane’s expected climb rate at maximum gross weight with the wings flaps and landing gear retracted is about 480 fpm. The AFM does not provide a climb performance chart for the airplane with the landing gear extended. Figure 1. Plot of airplane flight track data. Figure 2. Plots of airplane altitude, ground speed, true airspeed, calibrated airspeed, and vertical speed. Figure 3. Plots of airplane heading, roll angle, and flight path angle. The airplane wreckage was recovered to a secure storage facility where it was examined by FAA airworthiness inspectors. The engine examination did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal operation.