Aviat A-1 accident near Greeley, Colorado, September 2, 2004
On September 2, 2004 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Aviat A-1, registered N6XJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greeley, Colorado (Private Strip 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 in-flight decision to land on an unimproved surface and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control. Contributing to the accident was the soft landing surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 2004 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1
- Registration
- N6XJ · no longer on the register · serial 1386
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he had just touched down short of his intended landing site and was rolling out when the nose wheel became stuck in the sand. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted near the river causing substantial damage.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 304 hours in all; 235 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 285 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 26, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 527 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 20, 2004; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2V2 Longmont CO at 2:00 pm
- Destination: GXY Greeley CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from GXY, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
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.