Piper PA-18-150 N3799Z

Summary

On 30 September 1999 at about 17:30 local time, a Piper PA-18-150 registered N3799Z, operated by Blake C. Freeland, was involved in an accident near Telluride, Colorado, United States. 2 people were 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

30 September 1999 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Telluride, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Telluride Regional (TEX)

Coordinates

37.9397, -107.8992

Aircraft

Piper PA-18-150

Registration

N3799Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Blake C. Freeland

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Montrose → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN99LA172

Nobody was injured.

An encounter with a sudden tailwind gust windshift during landing roll, resulting in an inadvertent ground loop.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to takeoff from Montrose, Colorado, the pilot called Telluride airport, located 33.3 nm to the south, and asked an airport employee what the weather conditions were. He was advised the wind was calm. Prior to landing at Telluride, he listened to the airport's ASOS, and again the wind was calm. He then confirmed that with the airport's windsock. Touchdown and initial rollout on runway 09 were normal; however, after the aircraft's tail was lowered onto the runway, the airplane encountered a tailwind gust and ground looped. When the pilot exited the aircraft, he noted that the winds were out of the west. There is no recorded weather reporting facility at Telluride airport. The closest weather facility is located at Montrose. At 1053, the winds were reported from 290 degrees at 6 knots. According to the FAA's Airport/Facility Directory, all landings at Telluride should be performed on runway 09 to avoid populated areas.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.