Piper PA-28-180 N7980W

Summary

On 6 August 1995 at about 20:44 local time, a Piper PA-28-180 registered N7980W, operated by Altitudes, Inc., was involved in an accident near Englewood, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 August 1995 at 20:44

Classification

Accident

Location

Englewood, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Centennial (APA)

Coordinates

39.5794, -104.8592

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-180

Registration

N7980W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Altitudes, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Collins → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95LA333

Nobody was injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.