Piper PA-18 accident near Glenwood Sprngs, Colorado, June 6, 1999
On June 6, 1999 at about 10:17 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N897SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glenwood Sprngs, Colorado (Glenwood Springs Mun airport). It was a ferry 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-in-command's failure to maintain directional control. A related factor was the gusty quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 1999 · about 10:17 pm local time
- Place
- Glenwood Sprngs, Colorado · Glenwood Springs Mun · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N897SP · no longer on the register · serial 18-3555
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The back seat pilot had recently purchased the airplane and was ferrying it home, accompanied by the pilot-in-command, who was seated in the front seat. When the airplane touched down, it veered off the right side of runway 14. Both pilots agreed that 'a gust of wind' caused the loss of control. Before control could be regained, the airplane collided with several parked vehicles, causing spar and rib damage to the right wing. Runway 32 was reported to be the active runway. Winds recorded at the nearest official weather reporting facility, located 26 miles northeast of the accident site, were from 240 degrees at 18 knots, with gusts to 22 knots.
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: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,096 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1999; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 36U Heber UT at 8:00 pm
- Destination: GWS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,305 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:15 pm from EGE, 26 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N897SP 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.