Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents
Learn from Colorado's accident history to fly safer in the Rockies
2310 Total Accidents
425 Fatal
816 Fatalities
1982-2026
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1 Fatal
Manzanola, Colorado
NTSB Narrative
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On January 5, 2007, at 0656 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-34-200T twin-engine airplane, N8231D, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering near Manzanola, Colorado. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant and registered owner of the airplane, was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed the Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB), Pueblo, Colorado, at 0641, and was destined for Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (TYR) Tyler, Texas.
On January 4, 2007, at 1725, the pilot contacted the Great Falls Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), Great Falls, Montana, to obtain a standard weather briefing for a visual flight rules (VFR) flight from PUB to TYR with a planned departure time of 1900. During the 19-minute briefing, the briefer informed the pilot of the weather conditions along his planned route of flight which included an Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) for moderate icing that was in effect for the Pueblo area and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were present in the Tyler, Texas, area. The pilot then inquired to the briefer when a storm was expected in the Pueblo area. The briefer responded, "...actually expected to move in through the Denver area sometime this evening starting around 8 to 10 o'clock. It looks like Pueblo's not expecting theirs until morning. Right now, they're not expecting any, uh, snow developing until morning in Pueblo." After several minutes of discussion concerning weather around Texas and Oklahoma, the pilot stated, "Well, it looks like I'm just going to have to go part way and sleep somewhere." Prior to ending the conversation, the pilot stated, "...ultimately I have to be in Houston [Texas] before 7 o'clock tomorrow night..."
On January 4th, at 1842, the pilot contacted the Great Falls AFSS to obtain a standard weather briefing for a VFR flight from PUB to TYR with a planned departure time between 0400 and 0600 on January 5th. During the 7-minute briefing, the briefer informed the pilot of the weather conditions along his planned route of flight. The briefer inquired what time did the pilot want to leave, and the pilot responded, "...I want to beat the weather in Colorado, so." The briefing included instrument flight rules (IFR) weather for the TYR area in the morning and improving throughout the day. The pilot then stated, "Looks like the longer I can wait, the better." The briefer responded, "...as far as the Texas stuff, yeah, but don't dilly dally getting out of Pueblo you know." At the end of the briefing, the briefer informed the pilot that at 0500 on January 5th, new terminal forecasts would be available for his planned route of flight.
On January 5th, at 0452, the pilot contacted the Great Falls AFSS to obtain a standard weather briefing for a VFR flight from PUB to TYR w
On January 5, 2007, at 0656 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-34-200T twin-engine airplane, N8231D, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control while maneuvering near Manzanola, Colorado. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant and registered owner of the airplane, was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed the Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB), Pueblo, Colorado, at 0641, and was destined for Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (TYR) Tyler, Texas.
On January 4, 2007, at 1725, the pilot contacted the Great Falls Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), Great Falls, Montana, to obtain a standard weather briefing for a visual flight rules (VFR) flight from PUB to TYR with a planned departure time of 1900. During the 19-minute briefing, the briefer informed the pilot of the weather conditions along his planned route of flight which included an Airmen's Meteorological Information (AIRMET) for moderate icing that was in effect for the Pueblo area and instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were present in the Tyler, Texas, area. The pilot then inquired to the briefer when a storm was expected in the Pueblo area. The briefer responded, "...actually expected to move in through the Denver area sometime this evening starting around 8 to 10 o'clock. It looks like Pueblo's not expecting theirs until morning. Right now, they're not expecting any, uh, snow developing until morning in Pueblo." After several minutes of discussion concerning weather around Texas and Oklahoma, the pilot stated, "Well, it looks like I'm just going to have to go part way and sleep somewhere." Prior to ending the conversation, the pilot stated, "...ultimately I have to be in Houston [Texas] before 7 o'clock tomorrow night..."
On January 4th, at 1842, the pilot contacted the Great Falls AFSS to obtain a standard weather briefing for a VFR flight from PUB to TYR with a planned departure time between 0400 and 0600 on January 5th. During the 7-minute briefing, the briefer informed the pilot of the weather conditions along his planned route of flight. The briefer inquired what time did the pilot want to leave, and the pilot responded, "...I want to beat the weather in Colorado, so." The briefing included instrument flight rules (IFR) weather for the TYR area in the morning and improving throughout the day. The pilot then stated, "Looks like the longer I can wait, the better." The briefer responded, "...as far as the Texas stuff, yeah, but don't dilly dally getting out of Pueblo you know." At the end of the briefing, the briefer informed the pilot that at 0500 on January 5th, new terminal forecasts would be available for his planned route of flight.
On January 5th, at 0452, the pilot contacted the Great Falls AFSS to obtain a standard weather briefing for a VFR flight from PUB to TYR w
Case Study & Lessons Learned
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Details
| NTSB Report | DEN07FA045 |
| Aircraft | Piper PA-34-200T |
| Registration | N8231D |
| Damage | DEST |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Location | 37.9178, -103.8850 |
