Tri-County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Erie, Colorado 80516
Thursday, March 27, 1997 8:55 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said the wind increased from 'calm to light, favoring runway 33' as he preflighted his airplane, to 330 degrees 28 knots as he began the takeoff roll. When he raised the tail the airplane swerved to the left, but he was able to realign the airplane with the runway. The left wing rose and the pilot applied full left aileron but to no avail. The airplane curved to the right, exited the runway and nosed over. When the pilot exited the airplane, the windsock indicated the wind to be variable between 300 and 330 degrees at 28 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain airplane directional control. A factor was the crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/27/1997
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 855
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ERIE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80516
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport TRI-COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 48V
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 5130
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 745 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5671
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 75
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 25
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7151
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 60
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 27 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 906
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:10PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6484X
NTSB Number FTW97LA143
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 180D
Aircraft Series Identifier 180D
Aircraft Serial Number 18050984
Certified Max Gross Weight 2650
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 20 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 3040
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM S. MOORE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11787 GLENCOE ST
Aircraft Owner City THORNTON
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80233
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 855
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RYN
Destination City TUCSON
Destination State AZ
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 33
Runway Length 4700
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --