Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Colorado Springs Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80916
Sunday, April 3, 2011 12:00 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
As the pilot returned to the local airport, the airport tower controller informed him of a storm cell approaching the airfield, issued a clearance to land, and reported wind from 70 degrees left of runway heading at 25 knots gusting to 34 knots. The pilot estimated the wind at 18 knots of crosswind, and landed using 40 degrees of flaps. While on the landing roll, the wind shifted to a tailwind at which time the airplane began to drift to the right side of the runway. The pilot attempted to go-around, but could not regain control of the airplane. He then elected to abort the go-around and attempted to bring the airplane to a stop. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and continued into a field. The airplane encountered uneven terrain and the airplane nosed over. Substantial damage was sustained to the airplane's wings and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preimpact malfunctions with the airplane. A review of air traffic control transmissions revealed the pilot was aware of alerts for low-level windshear and microbursts during this local flight. The airplane's pilot operating handbook directs pilots to utilize the minimum flap setting required for field length while operating in strong crosswind conditions. In addition, the handbook does not state a maximum allowable crosswind velocity, but states that average pilot technique should be able to handle 15 knots of crosswind.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot loss of directional control during landing in gusty crosswind conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 4/3/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1200 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Colorado Springs |
| Event State | COLORADO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 80916 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 4 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 384821N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1044203W |
| Event Location Airport | Colorado Springs Municipal |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KCOS |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 6187 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | 1154 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KCOS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 6157 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 6000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 8 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 13 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 28 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 39 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.56 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KCOS 031754Z 29028G39KT 8SM -RA BKN060 BKN075 BKN0 |
| 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) | 28414 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA NW ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 16 2011 12:25PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3484E |
| NTSB Number | CEN11CA261 |
| 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 | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172N |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17271566 |
| 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 | 4 |
| 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 | PEAK AVIATION CENTER INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 1360 AVIATION WAY |
| Aircraft Owner City | COLORADO SPRINGS |
| Aircraft Owner State | CO |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 80916-2714 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | PEAK AVIATION CENTER INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 1360 AVIATION WAY |
| Operator City | COLORADO SPRINGS |
| Operator State | CO |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 80916-2714 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KCOS |
| Departure City | Colorado Springs |
| Departure State | CO |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1030 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KCOS |
| Destination City | Colorado Springs |
| Destination State | CO |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 16 2011 12:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 35R |
| Runway Length | 13501 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |