Meadow Lake Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colo. Springs, Colorado 80831
Saturday, April 26, 2003 11:50 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor reported that while making an approach to the runway, the airplane encountered wind shear. The instructor told the student pilot to go-around. The student pilot added power and the airplane climbed "just above the runway." The flight instructor said the airplane would not climb. The instructor pilot said, "The nose wheel hit a small hill on the (approach) end of the runway and flipped us over." The airplane sustained damage to the propeller, engine cowling, nose gear, firewall, and both wings. Later, after the airplane had been recovered, the instructor pilot noted that the flaps were up. The instructor pilot reported that on approach, the flaps were in the full down position. An examination of the airplane revealed no pre-existing anomalies that could have contributed to the accident. The reported winds at the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, 225 degrees at 14 nautical miles, 4 minutes after the accident occurred, were 140 degrees at 5 knots.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the student pilot's failure to obtain and maintain adequate altitude during the go-around. Factors contributing to the accident were the encountered windshear, the student pilot's premature raising of the flaps, the instructor pilot's inadequate supervision, and the berm.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/26/2003
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1150
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Colo. Springs
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80831
Event Date Year 2003
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385645N
Event Location Longitude 1043411W
Event Location Airport Meadow Lake Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 00V
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.25
Degrees magnetic from airport 260
Airport Elevation 6840
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1154 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 225
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6184
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.77
Density Altitude (feet) 8133
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) 13965
NTSB Notification Source FAA COMM CTR
NTSB Notification Date Apr 26 2003 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2003 9:55AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, CO FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N54202
NTSB Number DEN03LA072
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17274914
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name American Aviation, Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 13539 Judge Orr Road
Aircraft Owner City Peyton
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80831
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 PUB
Departure City Pueblo
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 00V
Destination City Colo. Springs
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Go-around (VFR)
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jul 14 2003 12:46PM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 2084
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --