Boeing A75N1 accident near Ft Collins, Colorado, January 12, 1990
On January 12, 1990 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Boeing A75N1, registered N49733, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft Collins, Colorado (Ft Collins Downtown airport). It was a personal 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1990 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ft Collins, Colorado · Ft Collins Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Boeing A75N1 A75N-1 · all A75N1s on the register
- Registration
- N49733 · registry record · serial 75-4276
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NEW OWNER/PLT (PIC) TOOK OFF FROM DOWNTOWN FORT COLLINS AIRPARK TO PRACTICE LANDINGS WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER ACTING AS A SAFETY PLT. AFTER PRACTICING A NUMBER OF LANDINGS, THEY LANDED AT FORT COLLINS-LOVELAND MUNI ARPT & REFUELED. THE PLTS THEN TOOK OFF TO RETURN TO THE DOWNTOWN ARPT FOR THE FINAL LANDING. WHILE LANDING IN CALM WIND, THE TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED ACFT VEERED TO THE LEFT & WENT OFF THE RWY. AS IT VEERED LEFT, THE RIGHT WING DRAGGED 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 144 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,376 as pilot in command; 835 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W-670-6A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FNL Ft Collins CO at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 4,700 ft by 48 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.