Maule M-5-200C accident near Watkins, Colorado, October 3, 1993
On October 3, 1993 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Maule M-5-200C, registered N16CB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watkins, Colorado (Front Range airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL RESULTING IN THE INADVERTENT GROUND LOOP. A FACTOR WAS THE INSTRUCTOR'S FAILURE TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION ON A TIMELY MANNER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1993 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Front Range · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Maule M-5-200C · all M-5-200Cs on the register
- Registration
- N16CB · registry record · serial 5016C
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE THIRD LANDING, THE AIRPLANE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT. THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVING INSTRUCTION ATTEMPTED TO ABORT THE LANDING BY ADDING FULL POWER AND APPLYING FULL LEFT RUDDER. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOLD THE PILOT TO CLOSE THE THROTTLE. THE INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE PILOT FAILED TO RELINQUISH THE CONTROLS AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST. THE PRIVATE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE INSTRUCTOR DID NOT ATTEMPT TO TAKE CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND ONLY ASKED FOR THE POWER REDUCTION.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,003 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 2,445 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 622 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 12, 1993; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-350-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 80 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:38 pm from DEN, 17 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 N16CB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 FTW94LA002.