Usaf Academy Airfiled Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Colorado Springs, Colorado 80840
Tuesady, November 18, 2008 15:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, after completing the final towing flight for the day, he returned land. He was cleared to land runway 34L and touched down "on the numbers and centerline with full flaps at 45 miles per hour(MPH)." The pilot reported that the airplane immediately weather vaned to the left, and headed for the left runway edge. He applied corrective countermeasures, "over corrected", and the airplane departed the right side of the runway. The airplane came to rest on the soft shoulder after completing 180 degrees of turn (ground loop). During the ground loop maneuver, the airplane sustained a bent outer left wing and aileron, and a bent left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction/failure of the airplane prior to the accident and was able to taxi the plane to it's hangar after recovery. Wind conditions reported at the time of the accident were 290 degrees at 15 MPH gusting to 20 MPH with a wind shear warning in effect.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of the pilot to maintain directional control and his failure to compensate for wind conditions. Contributing to the accident were gusting winds with a wind shear warning in effect.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/18/2008
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1510
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Colorado Springs
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80840
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385806N
Event Location Longitude 1044828W
Event Location Airport USAF Academy Airfiled
Event Location Nearest Airport ID AFF
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0.5
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 6572
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1500 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID AFF
Elevation of weather observation facility 6572
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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 --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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) 24814
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 22 2008 5:06PM
User who most recently changed record lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N905CC
NTSB Number CEN09CA069
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
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 9905CC
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Aug 14 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5940
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Doss Aviation Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3320 W. Carefree
Aircraft Owner City Colorado Springs
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80917
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Doss Aviation Inc.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 3320 W. Carefree
Operator City Colorado Springs
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 80917
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) Glider Tow
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AFF
Departure City Colorado Spring
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1445
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code AFF
Destination City Colorado Spring
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2008 10:53AM
User who most recently changed record kaij
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34L
Runway Length 4500
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --