# NTSB DEN87LA049: Piper PA-28-181, N6913L, Taos, NM, January 31, 1987

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: January 31, 1987, 12:10 local (19:10 UTC)
- Place: Taos, NM
- Coordinates: 36.379688, -105.569458 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.3797&lon=-105.5695&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 2, 1988
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17165
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN87LA049
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17165/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN87LA049

## 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 - snow (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience in kind of aircraft, pilot in command (cause)
  - weather condition - fog (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - precautionary landing - performed, pilot in command (cause)
  - terrain condition - rough/uneven (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT INADVERTENTLY FLEW INTO IMC WX; SNOW, FOG, FREEZING TEMPERATURES AND LOW VISIBILITY, IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A TRAIL DUE TO LOWERING VISIBILITY, 15 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE DESTINATION ARPT. THE TERRAIN WAS ROUGH AND THE ACFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING THE LANDING.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N6913L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6913L-1995-03-15), registration cancelled 1995-03-15, S/N 288590053 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28-8590053
- Airframe hours: 563
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360-A4M 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Waukegan Aero
- Registered owner: C & S Air
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, December 23, 1986, 63 hours before
- Departed: LAA, LAMAR, CO
- Destination: SKX, TAOS, NM

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 43; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 141 total, 52 in this make and model, 113 as pilot in command, 59 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Temperature: 32 °F
- Observed at: E23, 15 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 19870131001929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19870131001929A), Jan 31, 1987: Piper PA28181, Taos, NM, Substantial damage. The aircraft landed off airport after encountering unexpected IFR conditions. VFR pilot failed to avoid weather.

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.