Gulfstream AA-5B accident near Erie, Colorado, November 25, 1990
On November 25, 1990 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Gulfstream AA-5B, registered N4557E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erie, Colorado (Tri County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING. A REALTED FACTOR WAS: LOW LIGHT CONDITION AT DUSK.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 1990 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · Tri County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gulfstream AA-5B
- Registration
- N4557E · no longer on the register · serial AA-5B-1230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FLYING TWO PASSENGERS ON A ROUND TRIP CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD THE BRAKES REPAIRED AT EL PASO, TEXAS, AND WAS DISTRACTED BY WORRY OVER THE BRAKES ABILITY TO STOP ON THE DOWN HILL RUNWAY. HE REPORTED THAT HE MADE A NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27, AND FLARED HIGH BECAUSE OF THE DARKNESS, RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. THE PLANE BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR, THE PILOT ADDED POWER AND MADE A GO-AROUND. HE SAID THE ENGINE VIBRATED BADLY, AND HE ASSUMED THE PROPELLER STRUCK THE RUNWAY, EITHER DURING THE HARD LANDING OR AS HE ADDED POWER. ON THE SECOND APPROACH, AT TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, THE PLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, SHEARED THE MAIN GEAR AND CAME TO REST NOSE DOWN. THE RIGHT WING WAS BENT BACK, BOTH WING SPARS, THE FUSELAGE AND TAIL SECTION WERE DAMAGED. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE MAIN LANDING GEAR LEGS WERE OVER STRESSED AND THE LOWER FUSELAGE WAS CRUSHED INWARD.
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: 85 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TAD Trinidad CO at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 3,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4557E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.