Dehavilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A accident near Greeley, Colorado, October 17, 2023
On October 17, 2023 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1941 Dehavilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A, registered N41DH, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley-Weld County airport). It was a personal 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 pilot’s decision to turn out early during the initial climb and failure to maintain adequate airspeed/angle-of-attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with airport hangars. Contributing to the accident was the variable wind conditions above the hangars and the pilot’s lack of awareness of those conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2023 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley-Weld County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dehavilland TIGER MOTH DH 82A, built 1941 · all TIGER MOTH DH 82As on the register
- Registration
- N41DH · registry record · serial 84734
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and pilot-rated-passenger intended to complete a personal cross-country flight with variable wind about 6 knots at the departure airport. The pilot noted the windsock nearest the airplane indicated a tailwind, but the other windsocks farther down the runway indicated a headwind or crosswind. During takeoff, the airplane became airborne faster than expected and climbed well, so the pilot made an early right turn over airport hangars. The airplane’s upper wing slats fluttered which indicated to the pilot that the airspeed was low, then they “came out hard,” which indicated the airplane was near a stall. The pilot ensured the throttle was full forward and decreased pitch attitude to maintain airspeed but felt like the airplane “was being forced down.” Unable to maintain altitude, and with no suitable forced landing area, he maneuvered the airplane to collide with the side of a hangar and the ground, then it nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Airport surveillance video showed the airplane at low altitude and appeared to climb until it overflew airport hangars. The airplane maintained a climb pitch attitude as it descended into the hangars.
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 initial climb
- Stall warn/stick-shaker/pusher during initial climb
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Awareness of condition
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Variable wind › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,854 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 839 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 8, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,766.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 27, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 1,825 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: De Havilland Gipsy Major (piston); 2,766 hours total
The flight
- Destination: AFF Colorado Springs CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 10, 5,801 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 80°F (27°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Observation at 4:56 pm from KGXY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 16, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Airport Video | AVI file | Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN24LA015.