Fairchild 24R accident near Greeley, Colorado, July 9, 2025
On July 9, 2025 at about 8:49 pm local time, a 1946 Fairchild 24R, registered N81210, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley-Weld County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inability to maintain directional control during landing due to excessive wear in the tailwheel steering assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2025 · about 8:49 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley-Weld County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild 24R 46, built 1946 · all 24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N81210 · registry record · serial R46-111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing as the tailwheel touched down on the runway, the tailwheel began to shimmy, and the airplane drifted left of the centerline. The left seat pilot attempted to maintain control, and the right seat pilot twice made minor inputs to maintain the centerline and “lifted the tailwheel” to alleviate the shimmy. When the tailwheel touched down a third time and the airplane’s full weight was placed on the tailwheel, the airplane veered sharply to the left. Full application of the right rudder did not correct the left turn, and the airplane ground looped. Substantial damage was sustained to the airplane’s left wing. A postaccident examination of the airplane found that the steering arm of the tailwheel assembly had been contacting tail structure in a location that was only visible when the tailwheel suspension and steering assembly had been removed and not during the routine annual inspection. It is likely that the airplane’s weight load on the tailwheel compressed the area enough due to excessive wear to restrict steering and rudder control during the landing. The airplane had accumulated 2 hours of flight since the most recent annual inspection.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Flight control sys malf/fail during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear steering system › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, military, private
- 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: 4,166 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2,234 as pilot in command; 1,055 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 22, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,311 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 1,073 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 21, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,658.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 2025; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,562 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ranger 6-400C-5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,801 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from KGXY, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KGXY 092056Z 00000KT 10SM 39/M03 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP126 T03891028 56020 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The 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
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 18, 2025. 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 | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Examination Summary | 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.
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.