Glenwood Springs Mun Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Glenwood Sprngs, Colorado 81601
Sunday, June 6, 1999 16:17 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The back seat pilot had recently purchased the airplane and was ferrying it home, accompanied by the pilot-in-command, who was seated in the front seat. When the airplane touched down, it veered off the right side of runway 14. Both pilots agreed that 'a gust of wind' caused the loss of control. Before control could be regained, the airplane collided with several parked vehicles, causing spar and rib damage to the right wing. Runway 32 was reported to be the active runway. Winds recorded at the nearest official weather reporting facility, located 26 miles northeast of the accident site, were from 240 degrees at 18 knots, with gusts to 22 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain directional control. A related factor was the gusty quartering tailwind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/6/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1617
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GLENWOOD SPRNGS
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81601
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GLENWOOD SPRINGS MUN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GWS
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 5916
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1615 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID EGE
Elevation of weather observation facility 6535
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 22
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8216
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) 259
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 6 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2146
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N897SP
NTSB Number DEN99LA097
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
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-18
Aircraft Serial Number 18-3555
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 Jun 1 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 1096
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT B. RUBEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 426 E MAIN ST.
Aircraft Owner City ASPEN
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81611
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code 36U
Departure City HEBER
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code GWS
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 3305
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --