Piper PA-28-181 accident near Fort Collins, Colorado, August 28, 1995
On August 28, 1995 at about 2:15 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N5448F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Collins, Colorado (Fort Collins/Loveland 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 BY THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PLAN HIS FLIGHT AND CHECK NOTAMS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. A FACTOR WAS OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE RUNWAY CONSTRUCTION ZONE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1995 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Fort Collins, Colorado · Fort Collins/Loveland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N5448F · registry record · serial 28-7790124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING AT THE COMPLETION OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT WAS UNAWARE THAT THE FIRST 4,000 FEET OF THE 8,500 FOOT LONG RUNWAY WAS CLOSED FOR REPAVING. TOUCH DOWN WAS APPROXIMATELY 2,300 FEET INTO THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE WHICH CONTAINED OBSTRUCTIONS. DURING LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE OBSTRUCTIONS AND CAME TO REST OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. WEATHER WAS A CLEAR, DARK NIGHT; HOWEVER, THE RUNWAY WAS PROPERLY MARKED AND NOTAMS HAD BEEN ISSUED. THE PILOT SAID HE DID NOT CHECK NOTAMS FOR THE AIRPORT.
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
- Flight time: 738 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 738 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,352 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 1994; 460 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 1:45 am
- Destination: FNL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 8,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:16 am from FNL, 1 miles away
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.