Cessna 180 accident near Broomfield, Colorado, August 4, 1987
On August 4, 1987 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 180, registered N9913V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado (Jefferson County 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1987 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Jefferson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N9913V · registry record · serial 18051765
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT WAS CONDUCTING TEST FLT FOLLOWING MAINT ON TAILWHEEL DUE TO SHIMMY. ON FINAL LANDING ACFT CONTROL WAS LOST AT APX 20 KTS DUE TO TAILWHEEL JAM. ACFT DEPARTED SIDE OF RWY AND LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO AIRFRAME. TAILWHEEL JAM WAS DUE TO IMPROPER MAINT. WRONG MAINTENANCE MANUAL USED WHEN REPAIRS WERE MADE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,825 hours in all; 1,265 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 1,652 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,781 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 19, 1987; 141 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11R, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 16,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:10 am from BJC
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.