Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Boulder, Colorado 80303
Saturday, December 19, 1992 16:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING AN AERIAL TOW, FOG CLOSED IN. WHEN THE GLIDER WAS RELEASED THE AIRPORT WAS OBSCURED. THE GLIDER LANDED WITH NO DAMAGE OR INJURY. THE TOW PLANE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON A ROAD AND DURING LANDING ROLL CAUGHT A WING TIP ON A POST. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO EVALUATE CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/19/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City BOULDER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80303
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 6458
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2522
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 19 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2023
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47354
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4384A
NTSB Number DEN93LA016
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-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18-150
Aircraft Serial Number 18-4792
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 Jul 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 160
Airframe Hours 8952
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name THE CLOUD BASE, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5117 INDEPENDENCE RD.
Aircraft Owner City BOULDER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name THE CLOUD BASE, INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code IV5
Departure City BOULDER
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1550
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code IV5
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --