Silver West Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Westcliffe, Colorado 81252
Saturday, May 27, 1995 15:22 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING TAKEOFF ROLL, AT A SPEED OF 45 TO 50 MILES PER HOUR, THE AIRPLANE 'VEERED HARD RIGHT.' THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT, BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE TO HIS CONTROL INPUTS. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, IMPACTED A DIRT BANK, NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. DUST DEVILS WERE OBSERVED MOVING ACROSS THE AIRPORT AROUND THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES REPORTING NO VISIBLE DUST ASSOCIATED WITH THE DUST DEVILS STATED THAT FOLDING CHAIRS AND LOOSE OBJECTS WERE TOSSED AROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO THE ENCOUNTER WITH THE DUST DEVIL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/1995
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1522
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City WESTCLIFFE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81252
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SILVER WEST
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4C03
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 8290
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 591
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 31 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 836
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7808Z
NTSB Number FTW95LA221
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18A-180
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18A-180
Aircraft Serial Number 18-8485
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 24 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 16
Airframe Hours 15560
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HIGH FLIGHTS SOARING CLUB, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 25683
Aircraft Owner City COLORADO SPGS
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80906
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 4CO3
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1522
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31
Runway Length 7000
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --