NTSB DEN88LA144 — 1988-07-02 · COLORADO SPRING, Colorado, United States

Current FAA registration · N4878S

Make / Model: PIPER PA-32-260
Year of manufacture: 1971 · 17 years old at event
Engine: LYCOMING O-540-E4B5 (260 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 20260430
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A6061B

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N4878S Piper PA-32-260 None

Factual narrative

THE PLT AND PAX DEPARTED ST. LOUIS AND STOPPED TWICE ENROUTE DUE TO WX. THE PLT WAS GIVEN LANDING CLEARANCE ON RWY 17 AT COLORADO SPRINGS AND THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 190 DEGREES AT 12 KTS. WITNESSES AT THE ARPT STATED N4878S 'PORPOISED' SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE LANDING BEFORE THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLT WAS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED AND HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 66 HOURS WITH 18 HOURS IN THE PA-32-260. THE PLT WAS INVOLVED IN A SIMILAR ACCIDENT IN KANSAS SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THIS ACCIDENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_DEN88LA144.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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