Cessna 150H accident near Fort Collins, Colorado, August 16, 1996
On August 16, 1996 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Cessna 150H, registered N6935S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Collins, Colorado (Fort Collins/Loveland airport). It was an instructional 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
improper flare by the pilot, which resulted in a hard landing, and subsequent overload failure of the nosewheel axle and nose gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1996 · about 5:25 pm 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
- Cessna 150H · all 150Hs on the register
- Registration
- N6935S · no longer on the register · serial 15067635
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a local area solo training flight, the student pilot flew to another local airport to conduct a touch-and-go landing. A landing occurred which sheared off the nose landing gear and damaged the propeller. The student, apparently unaware of the damage, then flew to the local practice area, conducted maneuvers for an unknown period of time, and proceeded back to the point of origin for a final landing. During the final landing, further damage was sustained to the remains of the nose landing gear assembly, propeller, and the right outer wing leading edge. Examination of the failed nose landing gear axle bolt revealed the bolt failed in overload.
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: student
- Flight time: 57 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,427 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 1996; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3V5 CO at 4:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 8,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:05 pm 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.
Other NTSB records under N6935S 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.