Pipistrel Italia S R L VIRUS SW accident near Boulder, Colorado, September 19, 2024
On September 19, 2024 at about 7:35 pm local time, a 2023 Pipistrel Italia S R L VIRUS SW, registered N202MM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a nose down attitude and subsequent porpoised landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2024 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pipistrel Italia S R L VIRUS SW, built 2023
- Registration
- N202MM · registry record · serial 1110 SWN 100 IS LSA
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane likely touched down on the nose landing gear first. The pilot stated that the airplane pitched upward immediately after touchdown, followed by episodes of increasing variation in pitch, then a sudden downward pitch, and the collapse of the nose landing gear. The airplane came to rest on the runway and sustained substantial damage to the engine mount and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 435 hours in all; 6 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 164 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 25, 2024; 70 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax Aircraft Engines 912 iS (piston); 164 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KAEJ Buena Vista CO at 6:37 pm
- Destination: KBDU Boulder CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from KBDU, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBDU 191935Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 27/M02 A3001 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident airplane propeller and nose landing gear damage
Photograph 2 – Engine mount
Photograph 3 – Composite damageThe 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 8, 2024. 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 | Photos | PDF, 4 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.
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.