Piper J3C-65 accident near Fort Collins, Colorado, May 4, 1999
On May 4, 1999 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper J3C-65, registered N6563H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Collins, Colorado (Fort 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
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1999 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Collins, Colorado · Fort Collins Downtown · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J3C-65 · all J3C-65s on the register
- Registration
- N6563H · registry record · serial 19755
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that the wind was from 290 degrees at 10 knots with gusts to 20 knots 'or less.' After completing the pre-takeoff checklist, the pilot turned the airplane 360 degrees to check for traffic before taxiing onto the active runway. When the airplane had made a 180 degree turn (tail directly into the wind), an 'unexpected strong gust of wind' lifted the tail and the airplane nosed down. Another wind gust caused the airplane to nose over onto its back.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,088 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 174 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 4,006 as pilot in command; 3,579 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 10, 1999; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A75-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3V5
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,699 ft by 48 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from FNL, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.