Grand Junction Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Junction, Colorado 81501
Thursday, March 29, 2001 15:56 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During takeoff roll, with a direct crosswind of 13 knots, the 70 hour student pilot lost control of the aircraft and it exited the side of the runway and ground looped. The right wing and right main landing gear separated from the aircraft and the pilot sustained minor injuries. .

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure by the pilot to maintain directional control during takeoff roll. A factor was a crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/29/2001
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1556
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City GRAND JUNCTION
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81501
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport GRAND JUNCTION
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 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 110
Airport Elevation 4858
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1556 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID GJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 5885
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 13
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.82
Density Altitude (feet) 6500
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10239
NTSB Notification Source FAA, NW OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date Mar 29 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2349
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office SALT LAKE CITY, UT

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9464D
NTSB Number DEN01LA078
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-6707
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 Mar 19 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 630
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHARLES L. BAKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City BASALT
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81621
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 GRAND JUNCTION
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1556
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Takeoff - roll/run
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 18 2001 12:38PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 11
Runway Length 10501
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --