Cortez Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cortez, Colorado 81321
Tuesady, June 14, 2011 14:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he made three prior attempts to land but aborted each landing due to the gusty cross wind conditions. On the fourth attempt, the airplane "ballooned" during the landing flare and encountered a strong wind gust. The pilot was unable to maintain control and the airplane landed hard on the nose wheel. A review of photographs taken of the airplane immediately after the accident revealed that the noswheel was pushed up and into the cockpit, which substantially damaged the firewall.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while landing in gusty crosswind conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/14/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1420
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Cortez
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81321
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 371806N
Event Location Longitude 1083725W
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CEZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 5918
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 17
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.18
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28694
NTSB Notification Source NWR ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 29 2011 10:11AM
User who most recently changed record andj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6017J
NTSB Number CEN11CA392
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172S
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 172S10169
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 ONE SEVEN JULIET INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address NAAMANS BUILDING STE 206
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Fly Corona
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Corona
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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 No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Bryce Canyon
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code CEZ
Destination City Cortez
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 24 2011 3:10PM
User who most recently changed record yeal
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 33
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --