Cessna A185E accident near Greeley, Colorado, April 28, 2002
On April 28, 2002 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna A185E, registered N4730Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley-Weld County Airport). It was an instructional 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 inadvertent ground loop during landing roll. A contributing factor was the partial brake system failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2002 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley-Weld County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185E · all A185Es on the register
- Registration
- N4730Q · registry record · serial 185-1184
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction said, "Late in landing roll ... at approximately 25-30 mph brakes were applied and left brake failed due to ruptured brake line. Airplane veered right and ground-looped causing left wing tip and left elevator to contact runway." An examination of the airplane's left main landing gear showed that the left brake line was cracked, flattened, and leaking brake fluid.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,100 hours in all; 12,000 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 97 in the last 30 days; 18,000 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 17, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 31, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,823 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 2002; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GXY Greeley CO at 5:00 pm
- Destination: GXY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 6,210 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from GXY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4730Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.