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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2 Fatal
AURORA, Colorado
NTSB Narrative
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On October 25, 1994, at 1906 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA- 28-235, N8954W, was destroyed by ground impact and postimpact fire near Aurora Airpark, Aurora, Colorado. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area instructional flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1800.
Persons at the airpark stated that they received a request for an airport advisory from the aircraft about 1900 on the UNICOM frequency. About 1910, the airport manager saw a fire burning southeast of the field and went to investigate. He found the aircraft in flames with both occupants still on board. Emergency crews arrived about 5 minutes later. They were notified by another person who saw the fire and called 911.
The accident site is located approximately 900 feet off the southeast end of runway 14 at Aurora Airpark. Runway 14 was the preferred runway in use at the time of the accident.
According to personnel at the airpark, the owner of the aircraft was receiving a night check out. The flight had been airborne about an hour and had returned to the pattern when the accident occurred.
The terrain off the end of the runway where the accident occurred consists of farm fields. There is a farm house with a yard light approximately a mile off the end of the runway, and a second farm house with a yard light about one half mile to the east of the runway end. Those are the only lights off the end of the runway where the accident occurred.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
According to persons who knew the flight instructor, he had flown out of Aurora Airpark for some time and was familiar with the area. Available information indicates that he had not flown at night in the recent past.
Records provided by the airpark indicate the owner of the aircraft, who was receiving instruction, had flown for six tenths of an hour on October 1, 1994, and one hour on October 21, 1994. No other records of recent flight time were found. FAA records provided information that this pilot had 145 hours total flight time and his certificate was issued on March 15, 1994.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
According to the National Weather Service, weather at the time of the accident was clear skies with 40 miles of visibility. Persons at the airpark stated that it was dark and there was no moon. Observation by this investigator, the night following the accident, provided information that on a clear, dark, moonless night there was no visible horizon to the south and southeast off the end of runway 14.
AERODROME INFORMATION
Aurora Airpark is a private airport open to the public and is located 11 miles east of the city of Aurora. It is bordered on the north by an interstate highway and on the other three sides by open farm land. Lighting consists of threshold and runway lights which are pilot controlled. The airport is VFR only.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The first ground scar found
On October 25, 1994, at 1906 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA- 28-235, N8954W, was destroyed by ground impact and postimpact fire near Aurora Airpark, Aurora, Colorado. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for this local area instructional flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1800.
Persons at the airpark stated that they received a request for an airport advisory from the aircraft about 1900 on the UNICOM frequency. About 1910, the airport manager saw a fire burning southeast of the field and went to investigate. He found the aircraft in flames with both occupants still on board. Emergency crews arrived about 5 minutes later. They were notified by another person who saw the fire and called 911.
The accident site is located approximately 900 feet off the southeast end of runway 14 at Aurora Airpark. Runway 14 was the preferred runway in use at the time of the accident.
According to personnel at the airpark, the owner of the aircraft was receiving a night check out. The flight had been airborne about an hour and had returned to the pattern when the accident occurred.
The terrain off the end of the runway where the accident occurred consists of farm fields. There is a farm house with a yard light approximately a mile off the end of the runway, and a second farm house with a yard light about one half mile to the east of the runway end. Those are the only lights off the end of the runway where the accident occurred.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
According to persons who knew the flight instructor, he had flown out of Aurora Airpark for some time and was familiar with the area. Available information indicates that he had not flown at night in the recent past.
Records provided by the airpark indicate the owner of the aircraft, who was receiving instruction, had flown for six tenths of an hour on October 1, 1994, and one hour on October 21, 1994. No other records of recent flight time were found. FAA records provided information that this pilot had 145 hours total flight time and his certificate was issued on March 15, 1994.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
According to the National Weather Service, weather at the time of the accident was clear skies with 40 miles of visibility. Persons at the airpark stated that it was dark and there was no moon. Observation by this investigator, the night following the accident, provided information that on a clear, dark, moonless night there was no visible horizon to the south and southeast off the end of runway 14.
AERODROME INFORMATION
Aurora Airpark is a private airport open to the public and is located 11 miles east of the city of Aurora. It is bordered on the north by an interstate highway and on the other three sides by open farm land. Lighting consists of threshold and runway lights which are pilot controlled. The airport is VFR only.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The first ground scar found
Case Study & Lessons Learned
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Details
| NTSB Report | FTW95FA030 |
| Aircraft | PIPER PA-28-235 |
| Registration | N8954W |
| Damage | DEST |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Location | 39.7393, -104.8590 |
