- Date
- September 21, 1985, 11:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Sugar City, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9186WPiper PA-28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850921054759A
- Case key
- 16765
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.
Explosion
Fuel system - leakCause
Fuel system,line fitting - overtorqueCause
Comm/nav equipment - explodedCause
Fire
Window,flight compartment window/windshield - smokeFactor
Forced landing
Terrain condition - open field
Analysis
Plts were participating in mile-high air derby between denver, Colorado and taos, new Mexico. Acft was flying 50 ft AGL and at full throttle. When plt depressed microphone button to give position report, a muffled explosion was heard. Cabin immediately filled with smoke and an emergency landing was made in open field.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9186W
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-10843
- Airframe hours
- 2,014
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-B2B5, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- Both
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lawrence P. Whistle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 9, 1985 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- 1W1 · Denver, CO
- Destination
- SKX · Taos, NM
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 25V · Ordway
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 222 total · 91 in this make and model · 183 as pilot in command · 21 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 35 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LHX, 11 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.