- Date
- July 12, 1985, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Aspen, CO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N2443YPiper PA-28-161
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850712030839A
- Case key
- 16545
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
CFI and student departed Aspen, Colorado, on a dual x-country flt. The density altitude at the time of departure was calculated to be 9954 feet. The CFI directed student to fly up a canyon in an area of rising terrain. The CFI took control of acft and was unable to climb over terrain that rises upward to 11000 feet. The acft struck tall trees at the 9800 foot level. The accident site density altitude was calculated to be 11916 feet. The acft service ceiling is 12000 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2443Y
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-161
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8516038
- Airframe hours
- 117
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D3G, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Flower Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 8, 1985 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- ASE
- Destination
- LXV · Leadville, CO
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 517 total · 244 in this make and model · 190 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ASE, 4 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.