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DEN93FA009

1992-10-31 · GRAND JUNCTION, Colorado, United States · Fatal · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport GJT

Current FAA registration · N250TJ

Make / Model
PIPER PA-24-250
Year of manufacture
1959 · 33 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-540 SERIES (250 hp)
Seats / Engines
4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19810327
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A25930

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER IFR PROCEDURE AND RESULTANT DISORIENTATION WHICH RESULTED IN A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.

Factual narrative

THE COMMUTER AIR CARRIER DEPARTED MOAB, UTAH, AND FLEW TO GRAND JUNCTION, CO, VIA RNAV DIRECT MACKS INTERSECTION. AFTER CROSSING MACKS INTERSECTION, THE AIRPLANE TURNED RIGHT BUT INSTEAD OF INTERCEPTING THE LOCALIZER COURSE, THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED ON A SLIGHTLY DIVERGENT TRACK TO THE EAST OF THE LOCALIZER. THE PILOT TOLD CONTROL TOWER PERSONNEL, 'I'M SHOWING TWELVE MILES OUT ON THE ILS...GETTING REAL...ERRONEOUS SIGNAL, HERE. ANY COMPLAINTS?' THE PILOT WAS ADVISED NO DIFFICULTY REPORTS HAD BEEN RECEIVED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED A MESA ONE MINUTE LATER ABOUT FIVE MILES TO THE LEFT OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE. THE COCKPIT WAS DESTROYED AND NO MEANINGFUL INFORMATION WAS OBTAINED FROM THE NAVIGATIONAL RADIOS. ALL OF THE AIRPORT'S NAVIGATIONAL AIDS WERE LATER FLIGHT CHECKED AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND. ALTHOUGH VMC PREVAILED AT THE AIRPORT, THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS ABOVE THE REPORTED CEILING HEIGHT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_DEN93FA009.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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