Colorado Springs Muni. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colorado Spring, Colorado 80900
Saturday, July 2, 1988 18:50 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT AND PAX DEPARTED ST. LOUIS AND STOPPED TWICE ENROUTE DUE TO WX. THE PLT WAS GIVEN LANDING CLEARANCE ON RWY 17 AT COLORADO SPRINGS AND THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE FROM 190 DEGREES AT 12 KTS. WITNESSES AT THE ARPT STATED N4878S 'PORPOISED' SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE LANDING BEFORE THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLT WAS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED AND HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 66 HOURS WITH 18 HOURS IN THE PA-32-260. THE PLT WAS INVOLVED IN A SIMILAR ACCIDENT IN KANSAS SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THIS ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/2/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1850
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City COLORADO SPRING
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80900
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COLORADO SPRINGS MUNI.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID COS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 6184
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1830 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6184
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 11000
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) 65
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8294
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 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 940
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 2 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36949
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4878S
NTSB Number DEN88LA144
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-32-260
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32-260
Aircraft Serial Number 32 7100002
Certified Max Gross Weight 3400
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 20 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 21
Airframe Hours 4396
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name C. CUNNINGHAM/J. BRASSER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 819 MARK SHARON COURT
Aircraft Owner City ST. LOUIS
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CUNNINGHAM, CHARLES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 819 MARK SHARON COURT
Operator City ST. LOUIS
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 63125
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 No
Departure Airport Code TOP
Departure City TOPEKA
Departure State KS
Departure Country
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code COS
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 17
Runway Length 11021
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --