Piper PA-28-180 accident near Englewood, Colorado, August 6, 1995
On August 6, 1995 at about 8:44 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7980W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE CROSSWIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 6, 1995 · about 8:44 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7980W · registry record · serial 28-2034
- 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 HE MADE A FULL FLAP LANDING ON RUNWAY 35L IN A CROSSWIND FROM 310 DEGREES AT 8 TO 10 KNOTS. WHEN THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, IT VEERED TO THE RIGHT. WHEN HE TRIED TO CORRECT FOR THE DIVERSION, THE AIRPLANE VEERED HARD TO THE LEFT. HE SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THIS DIVERSION, BUT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT RESPOND. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT LATER TOLD THE OPERATOR HE HAD EXPERIENCED BRAKE PROBLEMS; HOWEVER, NO BRAKE DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND BY THE OPERATOR. THE OPERATOR EXAMINED THE RUNWAY AND FOUND MARKS CONSISTENT WITH THE NOSE WHEEL NOT BEING ALIGNED WITH THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 19 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,215 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1995; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Altitudes, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 3V5 Fort Collins CO at 7:30 pm
- Destination: APA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 7,003 ft by 77 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:14 pm from APA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.