Piper PA-22-108 accident near Colorado Springs, Colorado, November 26, 2025
On November 26, 2025 at about 5:57 pm local time, a 1961 Piper PA-22-108, registered N4588Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Colorado Springs, Colorado (City Of Colorado Springs Muni 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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 2025 · about 5:57 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Springs, Colorado · City Of Colorado Springs Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108, built 1961 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N4588Z · registry record · serial 22-8097
- 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 during he felt a gust of wind from the left that lifted the left wing. The pilot stated that he overcorrected, the airplane became unstable, and he decided to perform a go-around. After the pilot initiated the go-around, the airplane veered to the right of the runway, struck a runway distance remaining sign, and then became airborne. The pilot reported that the elevator became jammed in a nose-up attitude after it struck the sign. The airplane reached an altitude of about 400 ft above ground level before the pilot regained control and returned to land without further incident. During the accident sequence, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing strut, elevator, and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had established better directional control before initiating the go-around.
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 on ground during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 345 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 222 as pilot in command; 9 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 27, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 430 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 336 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 26, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 CLB (piston); 180 hours total
- Operator: Aerostyles LLC
The flight
- Departed from: LHX La Junta CO at 3:30 pm
- Destination: COS Colorado Springs CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R/, 11,022 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from KCOS, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCOS 261754Z 14003KT 10SM FEW090 FEW150 BKN200 03/M08 A3021 RMK AO2 SLP256 T00331083 10044 21044 56001 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on April 16, 2026. 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 Array | PDF, 3 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.