Beech E-90 accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, September 5, 2010
On September 5, 2010 at about 3:00 am local time, a Beech E-90, registered N16LH, was substantially damaged in an accident during post (impact) near Colorado Springs, Colorado (Colorado Springs Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to ensure that the airplane’s parking brake was properly set before diverting his attention to other tasks.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2010 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Colorado Springs, Colorado · Colorado Springs Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E-90 · all E-90s on the register
- Registration
- N16LH · no longer on the register · serial LW-217
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following a night landing, the pilot taxied to the ramp and was marshaled into a parking space by ground crew personnel. The pilot stopped the twin-engine airplane and set the parking brake before continuing with other checklist items. Unbeknownst to the pilot, the airplane began to roll forward until it impacted a tug and ground power unit, located approximately 25 feet across the ramp. During the impact, the nose landing gear collapsed and the nose of the airplane came to rest on the rear of the tug, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Ground collision during post (impact) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,444 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 5,480 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 2, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,170 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 5, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: P&W Canada PT6A-60A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada PT6A-60A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sundance Farms Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ONO Ontario OR at 11:45 pm
- Destination: COS Colorado Springs CO
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Observation at 11:45 pm from COS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.