Boeing D75N1 accident near Watkins, Colorado, August 13, 2002
On August 13, 2002 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Boeing D75N1, registered N64796, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watkins, Colorado (Front Range 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 pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing, resulting in an inadvertent ground loop. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 13, 2002 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Front Range · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing D75N1 · all D75N1s on the register
- Registration
- N64796 · registry record · serial 75-1602
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor said they entered the traffic pattern on the downwind leg for runway 17 (8,000 feet x 100 feet, dry asphalt), touched down "slightly tail high and bounced slightly (maybe 6 inches). The student allowed the air[plane] to turn right and bank left during the bounce. As the air[plane] touched down the second time, it swerved hard right and began to ground loop. Full left rudder and brake did not arrest the turn. The air[plane] departed the runway to the right, dragged the left wingtip (lower), turned left, dragged the right lower wing, went up on the nose, and came to rest on the propeller dome and the main gear." Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the lower left wing spar, right lower wing, and upper right wing tip. The left main gear was also damaged extensively.
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: airline transport pilot, 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: 17,728 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 16,826 as pilot in command; 2,760 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 25, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,323 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,275 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,993 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 2002; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 3:00 pm
- Destination: FTG Watkins CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from Den, 10 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 N64796 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.