Piper PA 18-135 accident near Longmont, Colorado, January 3, 2019
On January 3, 2019 at about 10:25 pm local time, a 1954 Piper PA 18-135, registered N89018, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Longmont, Colorado (Vance Brand airport). It was a personal 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 failure to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2019 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Longmont, Colorado · Vance Brand · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18-135, built 1954 · all PA 18-135s on the register
- Registration
- N89018 · registry record · serial 18-3583
- 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 it was his first flight as pilot-in-command of the tundra tire- and tailwheel-equipped airplane. While on the fourth three-point landing to the concrete runway, after the tailwheel touched down, the airplane veered left. He corrected with right rudder and attempted to return to the runway centerline and then applied left rudder, but the airplane continued to veer right. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped to the right, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The owner of the airplane, who was seated in the rear seat, reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 0.5 in this make and model
- Last flight review: November 14, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,680.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 2,000 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LMO Longmont CO
- Destination: LMO Longmont CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,799 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KLMO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA19CA117.