Christen Industries A-1 accident near Pueblo, Colorado, June 28, 2008
On June 28, 2008 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Christen Industries A-1, registered N2879T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Pueblo, Colorado (Rock Creek 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing. Contributing to the accident were the wind gust and tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2008 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Pueblo, Colorado · Rock Creek Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Christen Industries A-1
- Registration
- N2879T · registry record · serial 1009
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while landing his tailwheel-equipped airplane to runway 25 a strong quartering tailwind caused the airplane to swerve to the left. In an attempt to arrest the swerve, the pilot applied full right rudder and right brake. As the airplane responded back to the right, the left wing impacted a fence post. Subsequently, the airplane nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. The airplane's wing strut was bent during the mishap. Approximately 23 minutes after the accident, a weather reporting station located 17 miles northeast of the accident site, reported winds from 70 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 24 knots. The pilot did not report any pre-impact mechanical malfunction or failure with the airplane.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 275 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,276 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C1G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PUB Pueblo CO at 8:00 pm
- Destination: 99CO Pueblo CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 1,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 16 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.25 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PUB, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.