Piper PA28R accident near Englewood, Colorado, August 8, 2020
On August 8, 2020 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1970 Piper PA28R, registered N4964S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial Airport). It was an instructional 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
The flight instructor did not maintain a proper approach path and landing flare during a landing with a tailwind, which resulted in a hard landing and damaged landing gear. During the subsequent landing with damaged landing gear, the flight instructor lost directional control which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with objects.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2020 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R 200, built 1970 · all PA28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N4964S · no longer on the register · serial 28R-35684
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was demonstrating a short approach and touch-and-go landing to the student pilot in a complex airplane. During the final approach, the flight instructor was unable to correct for a quartering tailwind and the airplane landed sideways on the left main landing gear. The flight instructor stated that "[the landing] felt a bit unusual, but the approach had been stable and the landing wasn't that bad..." The airplane took off and the landing gear would not retract. After troubleshooting the problem and declaring an emergency, the flight instructor landed the airplane with an unsafe landing gear indication. After touchdown, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the flight instructor lost directional control. The airplane impacted taxiway lights and came to rest upright adjacent to the runway. Postaccident examination showed the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Further examination of the left main landing gear and wing revealed overload damage to the landing gear wing attachment. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane 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
- Other weather encounter during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Effect on operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,428 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 371 in the last 90 days; 104 in the last 30 days; 1,381 as pilot in command; 1,056 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 15, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 230 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 136 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,816 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 11, 2020; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 3:52 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17L, 10,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from APA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 3, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.