# NTSB DEN87FA213: Piper PA28-140, N5994U, Last Chance, CO, August 8, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: August 7, 1987, 22:12 local (Aug 8, 1987, 04:12 UTC)
- Place: Last Chance, CO
- Coordinates: 40.249095, -103.630119 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2491&lon=-103.6301&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report November 29, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17122
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN87FA213
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17122/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN87FA213

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - weather condition - thunderstorm,level ii (contributing factor)
  - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command (cause)
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - in flight, cruise - normal
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - open field

## Analysis

WHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLT THE PLT ENCOUNTERED IFR CONDITIONS AND WAS NEITHER TRAINED NOR QUALIFIED TO FLY IFR. ATTEMPTS BY ATC TO ASSIST THE PLT AND ROUTE THE FLT TO AN ARPT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE PLT LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT AND CRASHED IN A FIELD, THE PLT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N5994U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5994U-2013-10-23), registration cancelled 2013-10-23, S/N 28-26731, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28-140
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-140](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-140) (registry code 7102802) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 2826731
- Airframe hours: 5162
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320-E2A 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: John A Stygar
- Registered owner: John A Stygar
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, September 4, 1986, 118 hours before
- Departed: AKO, AKRON, CO
- Destination: 1V5, BOULDER, CO

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 248 total, 237 in this make and model, 199 as pilot in command, 10 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: AKO, 34 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19870807042959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870807042959A), Aug 7, 1987: Piper PA28140, Last Chance, CO, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Unable to hold vector headings. Crashed out of control. Dark night with rain a factor. Morphine in pilots blood.

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.