Piper PA-18-150 accident near Englewood, Colorado, October 16, 1990
On October 16, 1990 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N5523Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1990 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · 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
- N5523Z · no longer on the register · serial 18-7846
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A STUDENT PILOT MADE A LANDING ON RUNWAY 28. DURING LANDING ROLL, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY TO THE LEFT. THE PLANE STRUCK A FOUR FOOT EMBANKMENT AND TORE THE LEFT WING LOOSE AT THE ROOT. THE LEFT WING SPAR WAS BENT, THE FUSELAGE TWISTED, AND THE CABIN TOP CRUSHED. THE PILOT SAID HE THOUGHT A GUST STRUCK THE AIRCRAFT HOWEVER, THE WEATHER OBSERVATION DID NOT RECORD ANY GUSTS DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. THE CROSSWIND COMPONENT WAS COMPUTED TO BE 8 KNOTS, WELL WITHIN THE CAPABILITIES OF THE AIRCRAFT.
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: student
- Flight time: 59 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3V4 Ft. Morgan CO at 5:45 pm
- Destination: APA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 28, 4,903 ft by 62 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:57 pm from APA, 1 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.