Front Range Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watkins, Colorado 80137
Tuesady, August 13, 2002 9:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The instructor said they entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 17 (8,000 feet x 100 feet, dry asphalt), touched down "slightly tail high and bounced slightly (maybe 6 inches). The student allowed the air[plane] to turn right and bank left during the bounce. As the air[plane] touched down the second time, it swerved hard right and began to ground loop. Full left rudder and brake did not arrest the turn. The air[plane] departed the runway to the right, dragged the left wingtip (lower), turned left, dragged the right lower wing, went up on the nose, and came to rest on the propeller dome and the main gear." Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the lower left wing spar, right lower wing, and upper right wing tip. The left main gear was also damaged extensively.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in an inadvertent ground loop. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/13/2002
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Watkins
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80137
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 394712N
Event Location Longitude 1043259W
Event Location Airport Front Range
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FTG
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 5512
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 298
Weather Observation Facility ID Den
Elevation of weather observation facility 5431
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.23
Density Altitude (feet) 6070
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 12521
NTSB Notification Source Airport Manager, Front Range A
NTSB Notification Date Aug 13 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 950
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2002 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, Colorado

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N64796
NTSB Number DEN02LA091
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 Boeing
Aircraft Model D75N1
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 75-1602
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 Jul 26 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 6993
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EMB Properties Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address 6950 S. Potomac Street
Aircraft Owner City Englewood
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80112
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code APA
Departure City Englewood
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code FTG
Destination City Watkins
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 14 2002 1:58PM
User who most recently changed record JOHB
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 8000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --