Front Range Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Watkins, Colorado 80137
Thursday, August 5, 2010 11:55 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, he was landing on runway 8 when the airplane encountered a gust of wind. The pilot corrected for the gust of wind and the airplane became airborne again. When the airplane touched down again, the airplane began to rotate to the left. The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical anomalies with the airplane at the time of the accident. An examination of the airplane and its related systems, conducted by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector, revealed no anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing, resulting in a ground-loop.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/5/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1155
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Watkins
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80137
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 394706N
Event Location Longitude 1043559W
Event Location Airport Front Range Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KFTG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5512
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 335
Weather Observation Facility ID KDEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5431
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 5
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 8000
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
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) 30.22
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27430
NTSB Notification Source FAA AMN ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 30 2010 4:38PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8576Y
NTSB Number CEN10CA473
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-18-150
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18-8889
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVIES GEORGE N
Aircraft Owner Street Address 514 PEARL ST
Aircraft Owner City DENVER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80203-3816
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name DAVIES GEORGE N
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 514 PEARL ST
Operator City DENVER
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 80203-3816
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code KFTG
Departure City Watkins
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1028
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KFTG
Destination City Watkins
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 25 2010 4:20PM
User who most recently changed record broda
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 08
Runway Length 8000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --