Piper PA-28-180 N15621

Summary

On 5 August 1995 at about 15:16 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N15621, operated by Altitudes, Inc., was involved in an accident near Englewood, Colorado, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 August 1995 at 15:16

Classification

Accident

Location

Englewood, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Centennial (APA)

Coordinates

39.5798, -104.8602

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N15621

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Altitudes, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pueblo → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95LA329

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR THE 6 KNOT CROSSWIND. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S DELAY IN INITIATING AN ABORTED LANDING AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON RUNWAY 17L, WHICH IS 10,001 FEET LONG AND 100 FEET WIDE. THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT SAID HE FAILED TO APPLY SUFFICIENT AILERON INTO THE RIGHT CROSSWIND AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN DRIFTING TO THE LEFT OF CENTERLINE. THE PILOT HESITATED TO INITIATE AN ABORTED LANDING BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE WAS TOO CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY EDGE. HE THEN DECIDED TO ABORT THE LANDING AND APPLIED FULL POWER. AS THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILATOR STRUCK A TAXIWAY SIGN. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. A WEATHER OBSERVATION MADE SHORTLY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT INDICATED THE WINDS WERE FROM 200 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. THE PILOT REPORTED A TOTAL OF 48 HOURS FLIGHT TIME.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.