Piper PA-18-150 accident near Watkins, Colorado, September 13, 1998
On September 13, 1998 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N4037E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watkins, Colorado (Aurora Airpark airport). It was an other work-use 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
Gusting winds which blew the aircraft inverted during taxi.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1998 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Aurora Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4037E · registry record · serial 18-7809043
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following landing from a banner tow flight, the pilot was taxiing to parking and headed into the wind when a wind gust lifted the aircraft which then came to rest inverted. Reported wind velocity at the time was 9 knots with gusts to 18 knots.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 605 hours in all; 64 in this make and model; 99 in the last 90 days; 39 in the last 30 days; 569 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,832 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1998; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O1V at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,500 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from DVX, 6 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 N4037E 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.