Piper PA-18 accident near Leadville, Colorado, March 14, 1999
On March 14, 1999 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N90995, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leadville, Colorado (Lake 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the gusty crosswind conditions. A factor was the gusting crosswind
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1999 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Leadville, Colorado · Lake County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N90995 · registry record · serial 18-8109057
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot set up to land midfield on runway 34 with winds reported to be from 300 degrees at 8 knots. According to the pilot, during the landing flare the airplane encountered a 'strong' direct crosswind gust. The airplane departed the right side of the runway, and nosed over in deep snow.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 198 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 128 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00V Colo Springs CO at 7:10 pm
- Destination: LXV CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 6,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from LXV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN99LA052.