Walker Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Junction, Colorado 81506
Friday, June 11, 1999 10:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The 22-hour total flight time student pilot was conducting touch-and-go landings. The third landing was hard and touch down was on the nose wheel causing damage to the nose wheel assembly, firewall, and windscreen. The wind was a 90-degree right cross wind at 5 knots and the density altitude was approximately 6,500 feet msl.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A hard landing when the pilot failed to sufficiently flare the aircraft for touch down. Factors were high-density altitude, and the pilot's lack of total flight experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GRAND JUNCTION
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81506
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 WALKER FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID GJT
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 4858
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 956 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID GJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4858
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6500
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) 127
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 15 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N359DS
NTSB Number DEN99LA103
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 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 69408
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 13 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63
Airframe Hours 3454
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name I FLY STRAND AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 796 HERITAGE WAY
Aircraft Owner City GRAND JUNCTION
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81506
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code GJT
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1045
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 27 2001 4:05AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 11
Runway Length 10501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --