Cub Crafters INC CC18-180 accident near Air Force Academy, Colorado, July 1, 2022
On July 1, 2022 at about 6:25 pm local time, a 2018 Cub Crafters INC CC18-180, registered N469AK, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Air Force Academy, Colorado (Usaf Academy Afld airport). It was a glider-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during the go-around, which resulted in impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s impairment from the effects of alcohol consumption.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2022 · about 6:25 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Air Force Academy, Colorado · Usaf Academy Afld · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cub Crafters INC CC18-180 NO SERIES, built 2018 · all CC18-180s on the register
- Registration
- N469AK · registry record · serial CC18-0088
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The glider tow pilot had completed one flight and was returning to the airport following the second tow of the day. The pilot reported that, during the approach, he encountered a meteorological effect and the airplane drifted to the left and the pilot decided to initiate a go-around. As the airplane was accelerating during the go-around, it started “turning/yawing” even though the pilot was trying to accelerate straight and level. The pilot surmised this was from the same meteorological effect that initially pushed the airplane left. The pilot noticed that the airplane seemed to yaw to the right, the airplane began descending, touched down, and came to rest inverted in a grass field, resulting in substantial damage to both wings and the empennage. The pilot admitted to first responders that he had consumed alcohol earlier that morning. The pilot was evaluated at a hospital, where he was diagnosed with alcohol intoxication based on a serum ethanol test result of 0.079 g/dL collected about one hour after the accident. It is likely that the pilot was experiencing impairing effects of ethanol at the time of the accident. It is unknown whether ethanol’s impairing effects were worsened by altitude effects (the field elevation of the airport was about 6,500 ft above mean sea level); however, it is likely that ethanol effects increased the pilot’s risk of making serious errors and diminished his ability to effectively maintain airplane control. Thus, pilot impairment from effects of alcohol consumption likely contributed to the accident.
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 in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Medical event during prior to flight
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR go-around)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Simulated/training event during approach (VFR go-around)
- Evacuation during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Alcohol › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Physical › Health/Fitness › Use of alcohol › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,496 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 288 in the last 90 days; 88 in the last 30 days; 4,540 as pilot in command; 2,044 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 19, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,934.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 14, 2022; 59.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-360-C1G (piston); 1,993 hours total
- Operator: Akima Logistics Services LLC
The flight
- Runway 16R, 4,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 12:27 pm from KAFF, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KAFF 011827Z VRB03KT 10SM FEW050 SCT080 BKN250 25/09 A3025 RMK AO2A SLP153 /ACFT/MSHP/ $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 6 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – View of the inverted airplane in the grass field
Photo 2 – View of the glider tow rope laying across a runway
Photo 3 – Front view of the inverted airplane
Photo 4 – Left side view of the inverted airplane
Photo 5 – Rear view of the inverted airplane
Photo 6 – Right side view of the inverted airplaneThe 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
12 documents, released by the NTSB on November 29, 2023. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 6 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | N469AK ADS-B Google Earth Data (.Kmz File) | map file | Download |
| 4 | N469AK ADS-B Microsoft Excel Data (.Xlsx File) | spreadsheet | Download |
| 5 | Various Statements | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Pilot - Training Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | N469AK Recent Maintenance Records | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Cub Crafters CC18-180 POH AFM Excerpt | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 9 | NTSB Medical Factual Report | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Crew Rest Information | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 11 | U.s. Air Force Meteorological Data Package | PDF, 28 pages | View Download |
| 12 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 2 pages | 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
- N469AK on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cub Crafters Inc CC18 51 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-360-C1G 141 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Usaf Academy Davis Airfield · nearest airport
- 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/CEN22LA297.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.