Piaggio P180 accident near Broomfield, Colorado, February 13, 2020
On February 13, 2020 at about 4:15 am local time, a 1992 Piaggio P180, registered N677P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Broomfield, Colorado (Rocky Mountain Metropolitan airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control on the snow-covered runway, which resulted in a runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 2020 · about 4:15 am local time · cases in 2020
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Rocky Mountain Metropolitan · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piaggio P180 AVANTI, built 1992 · all P180s on the register
- Registration
- N677P · registry record · serial 1019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was making an instrument approach at night in instrument meteorological conditions. The control tower advised that packed snow and moderate braking were reported on the runway. The pilot reported that the approach was on speed and the airplane initially touched down smoothly. When the nosewheel touched down, the airplane yawed to the left, and the pilot’s efforts to maintain directional control were not successful. The airplane slid on the surface, departed the left side of the runway, and spun around, then the right wing tip and canard contacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing, canard, and aileron. Postaccident examination revealed both nose gear tires were deflated, and the right main tire had low air pressure. However, the pilot did not report any pre-accident mechanical malfunction or anomaly with the airplane that may 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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Effect on operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,829 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 1,704 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 22, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,256 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 12,100 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A SER (turboprop); 5,316 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6-66 (turboprop); 5,316 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUR Burbank CA at 1:45 am
- Destination: BJC Broomfield CO
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30R, 9,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:28 am from BJC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Post-accident frontal view of N677P
Photo 2 - Flattened nose wheel tires
Photo 4 - Right wing tip damage. Spar was not damaged
Photo 5 - Right aileron and wing leading edge damage greater than 10% of wingspan. Aileron was blocked from moving
Photo 6 - Damage to right canard fiberglass end cap. Attachment points were not damagedThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on April 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 | NTSB Form 6120.1-2, Pilot-operator Aircraft Accident-incident Report | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement to FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | E-mails from Pilot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Braking Action Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Coinversation with Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport Operations | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Rocky Mountain Metropolitan Airport (Bjc) Diagram | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Weather Reports | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Report Photos | PDF, 6 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N677P on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piaggio P180 50 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piaggio 68 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A SER 2,218 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6-66 12 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Rocky Mountain Metro Airport · nearest airport
- Hollywood Burbank Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 383 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,486 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN20LA083.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.