Piper PA-18-150 accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, November 18, 2008
On November 18, 2008 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N905CC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Colorado Springs, Colorado (Usaf Academy Airfiled airport). It was a glider-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 2008 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Springs, Colorado · Usaf Academy Airfiled · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N905CC · registry record · serial 9905CC
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,371 hours in all; 3,750 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 8,500 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 29, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,940 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 14, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Doss Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: AFF Colorado Spring CO at 9:45 pm
- Destination: AFF Colorado Spring CO
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 34L, 4,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Observation at 10:00 pm from AFF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.