Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Colorado Springs Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Colorado Sprngs, Colorado 80910
Friday, May 23, 2003 21:53 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The local METAR reported the winds at 130 degrees at 12 knots. The tower controller advised the pilot he could have the runway of his choice because the winds were variable. The pilot elected to land on runway 35R. When the pilot was on final approach, the controller advised the winds were variable between 080 and 090 degrees at 15 knots. During the flare, the airplane encountered two wind gusts from the right. The first gust pushed the aircraft to the left side of the runway. The pilot added power to go around. The second gust pushed the airplane further left and off the runway. The engine was developing full power and the airplane was accelerating, but it would not climb. He felt something "clip" the airplane, causing it to veer left. The pilot then reduced power, shut off the fuel, and attempted to stop the airplane. The airplane traveled across rough terrain, struck a stop sign on the service road between the runway and a taxiway, then struck a 10-foot chain link perimeter fence, collapsing the landing gear. The airplane came to rest 1/3-mile northwest from the runway.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the pilot's improper decision to land in the reported crosswind conditions, and his failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing factors were the crosswind, rough terrain, airport stop sign, and fence.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/23/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 2153 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Colorado Sprngs |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80910 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 384803N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1044200W |
| Event Location Airport | Colorado Springs Municipal |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 6184 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 2155 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | COS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Night/Dark |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 9000 |
| 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) | 18 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 130 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.19 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 14240 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA COMM CTR |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 23 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2117 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 25 2003 11:36AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Denver |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N231JM |
| NTSB Number | DEN03LA086 |
| 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 | Mooney |
| Aircraft Model | M20K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25-0124 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2900 |
| 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 | Feb 23 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 50 |
| Airframe Hours | 3600 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Skyways Aviation LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | On File |
| Aircraft Owner City | Scottsdale |
| Aircraft Owner State | AZ |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 85255 |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | SDL |
| Departure City | Scottsdale |
| Departure State | AZ |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1800 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | COS |
| Destination City | Colorado Sprngs |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing - flare/touchdown |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 17 2003 11:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | MCBM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35R |
| Runway Length | 13500 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |