Cortez Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cortez, Colorado 81321
Monday, November 5, 2007 11:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot made a full-stall (conventional) landing. When the airplane touched down, he felt "a sudden slowing of the aircraft" and the "tail rapidly coming up." He yelled at the passenger to get his feet off the brake pedals. The pilot said the "passenger had no idea he was touching the brake pedals as he braces himself for landing." The airplane then nosed over during the landing rollout.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The passenger's inadvertent application of brakes, causing the airplane to nose over on landing. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure top adequately brief the passenger.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/5/2007
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Cortez
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81321
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 371811N
Event Location Longitude 1083741W
Event Location Airport Cortez Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CEZ
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 5918
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID CEZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5918
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.33
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 22797
NTSB Notification Source FAA-Northwest Mountain Region
NTSB Notification Date Nov 5 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2007 6:59AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Salt Lake City, Utah

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6ZT
NTSB Number DEN08CA025
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-5824
Certified Max Gross Weight 1750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 May 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5709
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Eddie L. Lewis
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. Box 182
Aircraft Owner City Cortez
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81321
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code CEZ
Departure City Cortez
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code CEZ
Destination City Cortez
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 5 2007 7:15PM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 03
Runway Length 7205
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --