# NTSB DEN00LA002: Piper PA-24-250, N6406P, La Junta, CO, October 2, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 1, 1999, 20:06 local (Oct 2, 1999, 02:06 UTC) - Place: La Junta, CO - Coordinates: 37.980667, -103.540138 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9807&lon=-103.5401&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report June 21, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47494 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA002 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47494/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA002 ## Probable cause The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain a proper altitude during final approach to landing, and his misjudgment of altitude clearances. Factors were the sudden windshift, downdraft and turbulent weather conditions, the dark night, and the pilot's lack of familiarity with the geographic area. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - weather condition - sudden windshift (contributing factor) - weather condition - downdraft (contributing factor) - weather condition - turbulence (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - terrain condition - grass - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command - lack of familiarity with geographic area, pilot in command - light condition - dark night - altitude/clearance - misjudged, pilot in command ## Analysis The pilot and pilot-certificated passenger were on a return cross-country flight that originated from Washington, D.C., with a final destination of Lancaster, California. They departed Missouri earlier in the day, and had planned a stop in Colorado. While approaching Colorado's La Junta airport for landing, the aircraft encountered wind shifts, downdrafts and turbulent weather conditions. As the pilot turned onto final approach during one of several unsuccessful landing attempts, the aircraft impacted the ground at an elevation of 4,500 feet msl in dark night conditions. ## Factual narrative On October 1, 1999, at 2006 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6406P, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain while on final approach to landing at La Junta Municipal Airport, Junta, Colorado. The private pilot received minor injuries, and the private pilot certificated passenger was seriously injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Fredericktown Regional Airport, Fredericktown, Missouri, at 1530 central daylight time. According to the pilot, prior to departure from Fredericktown, he received an outlook weather briefing from Missouri's Columbia Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) the previous evening, and a standard weather briefing on the morning of the accident. The pilot stated that the weather "appeared normal with 20 knot headwinds, weather clear." While en route, he monitored several airport's ATIS (Automatic Terminal Information Service) reports, and the weather appeared "normal." In the pilot's accident report, he stated that while en route to La Junta, he noted the aircraft's groundspeed to be 113 knots with a 20 to 30 knot headwind, as indicated on his Global Position System (GPS) receiver. As he approached La Junta, the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind and the GPS indicated the groundspeed to be 165 to 170 knots. As he approached the airport for landing, the turbulence increased with "wind direction shifts." He stated that he maintained an altitude of 5,000 feet above mean sea level (msl) while on a downwind to runway 8 (the airport's elevation is 4,238 feet msl; the Federal Aviation Administration recommends traffic pattern altitudes to be conducted at 1,000 feet above ground level [agl] unless otherwise specified.) As he turned onto final approach, the aircraft encountered a downdraft and began to lose altitude, then impacted the ground. During the impact sequence, the aircraft sustained damage to both wings, nose gear, and propeller. Following the accident, the pilot was interviewed by the Otero County Sheriff's Department. The pilot stated in the interview that he and his father were on a cross-country flight that originated from Washington, D.C., with a final destination of Lancaster, California. During a stop at La Junta, he initially attempted to land on runway 8, but the "wind was strong and [he] missed the runway." He aborted the landing and was planning to return for another landing attempt. He stated that he was "heading east and [was] unfamiliar with the terrain," then struck the ground at an elevation of 4,500 feet msl in dark night conditions. According to the Sheriff's report, when asked if he had experienced any mechanical problems with the aircraft, he stated, "no, that it was just pilot error." The passenger was also interviewed while in the hospital. He stated that "the wind was strong and they misjudged the land around the airport." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6406P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6406P-2000-07-05), registration cancelled 2000-07-05, S/N 24-1516 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-24-250 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-250](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-250) (registry code 7102404) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-1516 - Airframe hours: 4220 - Engines: Lycoming O-540 250 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Danny C. & Ralph C. Olsen - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 17, 1999, 36 hours before - Departed: H88, FREDERICKTOWN, MO - Destination: LHX, CO - Airport: LHX, La Junta Municipal, runway 8, 6,852 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 690 total, 286 in this make and model, 690 as pilot in command, 34 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 10 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 20° at 25 knots, gusting 32 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 54 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: LHX ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19991001043719A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991001043719A), Oct 1, 1999: Piper PA24250, La Junta, CO, No damage. (-23) Upon arrival after dark at lajunta he attempted to land on runway 08. He aborted landing because of gusty winds and circled for another attempt. On base… ## Other investigations on N6406P (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 UNK65X1118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/UNK65X1118), Dec 24, 1964: Piper PA-24 (N6406P), Bartonville, IL, destroyed, 1 fatal 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.