Vance Brand Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Longmont, Colorado 80503
Thursday, May 31, 1990 18:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE COMPLETION OF AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT DURING FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED WINDSHEAR/MICROBURST ACTIVITY AND A GO-AROUND WAS INITIATED. AT THE INTITIATION OF THE GO-AROUND THE FLAPS WERE RAISED FROM FULL DEPLOYMENT TO UP, CONTRARY TO PUBLISHED PROCEDURES. THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED AND STRUCK A TREE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES IN THE ACCIDENT AND THE STUDENT PILOT FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS AWARE OF ADVISORY CIRCULARS CONCERNING WINDSHEAR BUT DID NOT HAVE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE. JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT A PIREP WAS MADE WARNING OF HIGH WIND, WINDSHEAR, AND STRONG DOWN DRAFTS. ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCH, A MICROBURST GUST FRONT PASSED THROUGH THE AIRPORT BETWEEN 1844 AND 1846.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT CONTINUED INTO HAZARDOUS WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/31/1990
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1845
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LONGMONT
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80503
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VANCE BRAND
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2V2
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1800 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 185
Weather Observation Facility ID BJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5654
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 6700
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1309
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 31 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1910
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42621
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 4:58PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N89834
NTSB Number DEN90FA119
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15282886
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Apr 27 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 91
Airframe Hours 5680
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JUDSON FLYING SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address VANCE BRAND ARPT
Aircraft Owner City LONGMONT
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80503
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JUDSON FLYING SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address LONGMONT MUNICIPAL AIRPORT
Operator City LONGMONT
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80503
Operator Code MF8S
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 2V2
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 2V2
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --