Piper PA-18-150 accident near Durango, Colorado, June 26, 1989
On June 26, 1989 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4137Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado (Val Air airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUNDLOOP/SWERVE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE ADVERSE WIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1989 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · Val Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4137Z · registry record · serial 18-8209
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A GLIDER TOW FLT, THE PLT TOOK OFF TO THE SOUTH. AFTER RELEASING THE GLIDER, HE RETURNED & LANDED TO THE NORTH WITH A 5 KT QUARTERING TAILWIND. AS HE WAS LANDING, THE ACFT VEERED RIGHT. THE PLT OVERCORRECTED TO THE LEFT & THE PLANE TURNED SHARPLY LEFT, THEN THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND & WAS DAMAGED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,658 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CD82 at 4:05 pm
- Destination: CD82
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.