Piper PA-18-150 accident near Watkins, Colorado, August 5, 2010
On August 5, 2010 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N8576Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Watkins, Colorado (Front Range Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing, resulting in a ground-loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2010 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Front Range Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8576Y · registry record · serial 18-8889
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,069 hours in all; 1,707 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,992 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 8, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KFTG Watkins CO at 4:28 pm
- Destination: KFTG Watkins CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KDEN, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N8576Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.