What happened
On October 1, 2025, at approximately 0412 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registration N999AD, was involved in an accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The aircraft, operated by Arapahoe Flight Club, was performing a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91 with two passengers on board.
Prior to departure, the pilot had topped off the fuel tanks with 48 gallons of usable fuel and calculated a takeoff weight of approximately 2,470 lbs. Following a routine preflight and engine runup, the pilot received takeoff clearance for runway 35L. The pilot reported a normal takeoff with flaps retracted; however, the subsequent climb rate was significantly lower than the expected 600 fpm.
During the initial climb, the aircraft maintained an airspeed of approximately 80 mph. Despite the pilot advancing the throttle and propeller controls to full-forward and setting the mixture to full rich, the aircraft was unable to gain sufficient airspeed or climb rate to clear rising terrain ahead. In an attempt to avoid the terrain, the pilot attempted to land the aircraft on a multi-lane highway.
As the aircraft approached the ground, it experienced a sudden left roll and a nose-down pitch. The pilot attempted to recover by pulling back on the yoke and applying right rudder. The aircraft crossed the northbound lanes of the highway and landed on all three landing gear simultaneously, subsequently striking two power poles before sliding to a stop. The pilot sustained one minor injury, while the two passengers were not injured.
The investigation
FAA airworthiness inspectors examined the wreckage of N999AD at a secure storage facility. The examination of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal operation.
Analysis of ADS-B track data showed that the aircraft's airspeed remained below the manufacturer's specified best rate-of-climb airspeed (95 mph) and best angle-of-climb airspeed (85 mph) for the duration of the flight. The data also confirmed that the landing gear remained extended throughout the flight, which contributed to a degraded climb performance. The aircraft's average vertical speed during the flight was recorded at 110 fpm.